


Waltz

by Grellenore, Iseldur



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Victorian, BDSM, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Power Dynamics, Slow Build, Subspace
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-27
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-01-21 01:38:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 81,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1532945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grellenore/pseuds/Grellenore, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iseldur/pseuds/Iseldur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A thief encounters more than locked doors in his attempt to fulfill a client's mission. Suddenly it is a fight for more than money.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The result of a wonderful roleplay with my very good friend, tumblr user grellenore!

The sun stood low over roofs dusted white with snow, tall treetops bending under its heavy weight. Cold seeped in between the stones of the manor, and frost formed sharp-edged little starflowers on his windows. Winter was a force to be reckoned with, for most. But there were those from whom even the cold seemed to shy away - as if it hesitated to offend. That was a vain thought, of course. The soft click of his mechanic hand against the marble of the counter woke him from that thought; the guests were to arrive soon enough, and he could hardly show himself in such a state. Distasteful. His nose wrinkled faintly as he could not avoid a glance towards his arm; it was all cold silver, not a hint of blood, of life. A grim reminder of what he had become. He tugged the glove on, breathing out almost in relief once it covered the metal. With the thick, soft material of his pristine white glove, it was impossible to tell the hand from one of flesh and blood. 

It was for him, at least. A glance in the mirror; yes, his hair lay neatly combed, his swallow-tail coat perfectly free from dust or wrinkles. Its deep red colour was close enough to black to be mistaken for it, especially in the low light of the night. His vest was a dark, steely grey, shoes shined to perfection. Not a flaw was visible. 

But he could feel it. Each motion tugged at the flesh of his severed arm, each gesture a reminder. He huffed, curling his fists - this would be but for a night. His blood hounds would have found him something new by tomorrow; by bringing the very cream of the crop, the high society to his mansion just in the outskirts of the city, he ensured that London's men of the law were occupied elsewhere, too busy with drink to notice someone stolen away. He wanted his vessels at the very peak of their life, of course. No children or elderly - why drink water when there is wine? Grown yet still young, blood not soiled by the opiates that had become so dear to the sophisticated. 

There was the familiar chime of the bell downstairs; Erwin rose from his chair, steps tall but not hurried as he made his way towards the curved stairway. Abrams, the butler, was at the door already, opening it at Erwin's curt nod. From inside began the bright, sweet tones of hired strings, and as the door opened, warm light spilled out onto the stone steps. "Lord Smith", greeted the other with a thin smile - and with that, the night had begun.  
\---  
The soft material was brand new and unworn, tailored to fit him much like a second skin, and Levi hated it. It was wam, yes, and clean-- that was good too, but it didn't suit him. Black trousers, black, flowing tailcoat with golden buttons, but with the inside lined with a royal blue, matching that of the silk waistcoat he wore over the white shirt, with its stiff collar held in place by a simple, white cravat. A thick, expensive cloak kept him warm as he approached the mansion with his gloved hand curled around the falsified invite in his pocket, and as he climbed the stairs, he tipped his hat to the man at the door and held it out.

"Ah, yes, Lord Rivaille. Welcome. Let me take your cloak."

"Of course. Thank you." A slight accent, quite convincingly French, and Levi shrugged out of his cloak, folded it over one arm and then held it and his hat out for the butler to take. He then proceeded inside, grey, cold eyes sweeping over the room, over every guest that had arrived so far, and then easily finding the host of the party. Tall and imposing, but every bit of the gentleman he was supposed to be, and Levi refused to feel intimidated as he approached to greet the blond, even if there was something about him that made Levi feel very ill at ease. He bowed, just a bit stiffly, and then straightened up with a perfectly polite, small smile on his face. "Lord Smith. Thank you very much for the invitation. I would never have imagined being invited to such a grand party, seeing as I'm very much new blood in these kind of circumstances."

Levi was not entirely sure of the circumstances in which his assumed name had ended up on the guest list, since he had mostly been handed the invite and been told to get to work. But this man would have invited plenty of people, and so even if he couldn't remember a few names, playing the part of the perfect gentleman - if quite young and new to it all - would probably be enough to fool anyone who might wonder.  
\---  
Lord Arington, Duke Humphrey, Lady Lothrop and her up-and-coming, slug of a husband; Erwin greeted them all quite politely. Old names mixing with the young and lucky - power blending with money in a melting pot of intrigues, scandals and crime. Erwin did his very best to stay above it all; he had a good name and wealth to last him a few hundred years more. And in now way was this sort of party a cheap affair - a bottle of wine alone was worth more than a dock worker made in a year. But what other entertainment was to be found out here? None. What better way of ensuring his contacts stayed loyal, that gossip flowed the right way, that no one ever questioned his motives? An excellent meal, and a steady stream of drink, the finest music money could buy.

His gaze traveled across the room, as more entered - most that he recognised, and some he had trusted his butler to invite for him. Those he did not recognise would either be new money, or old names from abroad. The former group was easy to tell apart from their manners - always a fraction of a second's hesitation, always a slight stiffness to the back, as if expecting to make a mistake. Some hid it better than others, but none escaped his cold gaze. Countess Breviere seemed troubled, but it was no simple sickness or fatigue - her corset was laced too tight, to hide the beginning bulge of an illegitimate child. Lord Marl, already tipsy; he would end up in the gutter tonight. A pitiful crowd, these. Dull-minded sheep herded by a blind man following the scent of gold. 

But suddenly there was a presence to his right. Erwin turned, the corner of his lip twitching onl for a moment with an amused smile as the other bowed - as soon as he straightened, any trace of a smile was entirely disappeared. Abrams mouthed the name at him from across the room, always attentive, always ready to fulfill any need. "Lord Rivaille", said Erwin, ever grateful for his butler's quick assistance and brilliant memory of names. Learning to read lips had been more than useful. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance." The smile appeared again; almost as small, but more dangerous this time. Of course Lord Smith was the very picture of hospitality - but new blood, as it were, needed to know its place. "I am glad to see new blood every now and then", he said, voice just a fractioon lower, as if secretive. "They tend not to last for long, you see." He sipped his wine, the scarlet liquid glimmering softly in the light of hundreds of candles, reflected by polished crystal from the crowns up above. "As they become more familiar, of course. Novelty passes."  
\---  
Hard to impress, this one, wasn't he? But Levi didn't falter for a moment, he kept his little smile throughout the conversation, yet keeping as much distance as he could without being impolite or strange, which made it easier to meet the lord's gaze without having to strain his neck because of the height difference. He knew what he was there for - small talk to gain some trust, mingle and act like everyone else so no one would be suspicious, and then slip away and get his prize while no one payed any attention - and any petty insults he would have to endure to get there would mean nothing to him. No noble's words ever meant anything to him unless there were money involved.

He inclined his head slightly at the lord's words, as if agreeing with his words even if they might be an insult, an amused gleam in his eyes. "Of course. I can only hope I'll be lucky enough in my endeavours to stay around for a while." Of course he wouldn't-- Lord Rivaille would be gone by the end of the evening and never be able to come back. But that was just as well.

Another servant passed them with a tray balancing on one hand, and Levi grabbed one of the delicate, wine-filled glasses. Red wine-- certainly a strange choice for an apéritif, but Levi sipped some of the contents of the glass anyway. He'd be extremely careful with it, of course, and drink very little while making it seem he was very much enjoying his evening with free liquor and food. "I shall not keep you from greeting your other guests, Lord Smith, but rather go and enjoy your hospitality and other's nice company. I hope you have a fine evening." And he bowed his head again, before moving away from the host, trying to find someone else to engage in some pointless, stupid small talk.  
\---  
He certainly was new; he was polite enough, but there was none of that peculiar sort of fearful contempt that came with old blood and countless rumours. His manners were learned at an older age, not instilled since before he could walk. But there was something else about him that Erwin could not quite point out. He seemed focused, but not on Erwin, nor the guests. Something else. 

For a moment he raised an eyebrow; but then Erwin realised Rivaille had meant that he intended to go. Funny; it had almost sounded like an order. Like any spoilt, newly rich Lord - most likely he had not earned his wealth himself, then, but was one of the sort who mistook decent manners for humility. Erwin nodded at him once, though his gaze lingered on the young man's back as he moved. A bit of a sickly complexion - he would have said starved, but most likely he was one of those artistic types - becoming too obsessed with his work to remember eating. Even now, he sipped like a little bird, though the delicate crystal seemed out of place in his hand. Beneath all that, there was a decent build; strong shoulders, good posture, quick feet. And with a little more food in him, he could even be a good-- candidate, for a vessel. "Michael", murmured Erwin under his breath as a tall man passed right by his shoulder. "The little frenchman. Keep an eye on him." There was a little grunt; no further answer was necessary. Zacharius knew his place, though it had taken them some time to settle the hierarchy between them. He was a formidable opponent as well as ally, and while Erwin appreciated his skills, he couldn't let his guard down. Even if he had no fear of his friend betraying him, there were others like them very eager to get a hold of his position - and any sign of weakness was a sign to attack.

For now, there was a dinner to tend to. The last guests - late, and thereby likely all the more important - trailed inside. The musicians, at his signal, swtiched their current piece for something slower, more quiet - suited, certainly, for a dinner. There were oysters upon mountains of ice; cold and lifeless and wholly unappetising. But this, after all, was for show - not enjoyment. "Please", said Erwin, his clear voice ringing out over the room while still holding the most pleasant of tones. "Be seated."


	2. Chapter 2

Levi swept through the room with the same grace and elegance as everyone else, maybe even more so, his steps as light and untroubled as they could possibly be. And while he wasn't one of the more handsome men in the room, he still attracted a few looks. He'd have to work on that; wait until he wasn't interesting anymore. Make small talk, feign interest in all those common subjects that were politics and business and the party itself, eat and drink and socialise until he was just a part of the crowd even though he was a new face.

Dinner was a good place to start, certainly. And Levi never turned down free food, no matter how unappetizing it might look. And fucking oysters-- was there any better way to boast about how bloody rich the host was? But Levi took his seat, between one fine lady and another further down the table. Once dinner was served, he was as well-mannered as anyone else, skillfully opening and plucking the edible contents out of the shell. Oyster was certainly an acquired taste, but Levi didn't particularly mind the salty blandness of the entrée as long as he could add a little lemon.

There were plenty of small talk to engage in, and Levi did, telling everyone about himself, openly admitting with a bit of an embarrassed chuckle that he was in this fine company only because he had inherited a small fortune from his uncle-- ever heard of the Courtaulds? Did it ring a bell-- yes, that was his late uncle, poor fellow, completely deaf during his last few years. Of course Levi listened as well, careful to not attract any more attention to himself that he let others have, to keep his manners and not eat more than what would be proper. And so the long-winded dinner dragged on, and by the time the desserts arrived, Lord Rivaille didn't seem particularly interesting to most people any longer.  
\---  
Erwin's dinner partner, at least, provided some level of intelligent conversation. Duchess Brzenska; widowed shortly after her marriage, and the sole ruler of a grand mansion under her mother's maiden name. Neither polite beyond the necessary nor prone to gossip - but sharp-minded and with a head for business. Erwin plucked one of the oysters from its pile of ice, his left hand cardling it almost gently in a napkin as he delicately turned the knife, forcing the shell open to reveal the poor little creature. A few drops of lemon assured him that it still had some life in it - of course, his chef would not have served anything but the finest. Slick and cold it slid over his tongue - were he a lesser man, he would have shuddered with distaste.

The soup, at least, was more substansial. Plates of pheasant was brought to the table, decorated with their own feathers in some bizarre charade of life, and wine flowed freely as voices grew louder, manners slipped from time to time - there, wine spilled on his finest linen. Erwin's lip twitched slightly, and his back straightrened a fraction. That, of course, was to be expected. But the carelessness of the common, that came with the knowledge that one's life would hardly go past seventy - oh, how he despised it. 

At least the nobles of old names knew to preserve family honour. The newcomers, not so much. That uppity young lord who had approached him, for example-- no. No, he didn't fit the picture at all. He wasn't drunk, nor laughing too loud or trying to impress the ladies nearby. Seemingly, no bets or outrageous promises, nothing of the kind. His eyes narrowed just faintly, but still he could not quite tell what it was that set him apart fom the other. It was clear, however, that something did.  
\---  
If Levi was repulsed by the nobles behaviour as they got more and more drunk and frivolous, he didn't show it. As for his own manners, they remained almost impeccable, even as he let loose some, and he never spilled, never drank enough to feel any more than a slight warmth from the alcohol. It was hard, when one were expected to drink and alcohol was the only thing that was served, to keep his head entirely clear - especially with his low tolerance - but he thought he managed. He was indeed still steady on his feet once the dinner was over and they all rose for some dancing. There was no shortage of ladies, so even Levi with his short height, rather sickly pale skin and heavy-lidded eyes wasn't left without a partner. Finding a girl only just barely taller than him, he asked her for a dance, and of course she did not say no. She was a pretty lady, blonde with big, dark green eyes and an expensive dress to match.

Knowing the waltz had sometimes been necessary for the line of work Levi was in, and so he had long since mastered the dance. Leading the lady onto the floor, he put a hand to her back, still keeping a fair bit of distance between them, and held her gloved hand in his other. The music started, no doubt on the order of the host, and Levi guided the lady across the floor with the same kind of grace as he moved. And though the lady might have been a bit tipsy and unsteady on her feet, he managed to keep her steady. He'd only dance for as long as he had to, though. Not being the first to remove himself from the dancefloor, but one of them, he'd join in a few other conversations, pretend to drink some more with the gentlemen, smoke a bit perhaps, and then try and look for his opportunity to slip deeper into the more private parts of the mansion to get his hands on his prize and disappear.  
\---  
Erwin had never understood why protocol insisted on dinner before the dance; what could have been the finest of waltzes was nothing but a cluster of men too drunk to properly remember their steps, women near fainting with the pressure from their corsets after having eaten. Distasteful, this whole act - but necessary. A dance before dinner would have settled them all down - much like one would run a dog if one expected to keep it in company of guests. But there were stille those able to dance - Erwin even found himself with a pleased little smile as Lady O'Malley accepted his invitation for the first dance. Of course, that was not her real name - but that was a common enough pracitice, and never questioned among their kind. Her hand was firm on his shoulder, his resting so very lightly on her waist. She afforded him a tiny smirk for that gesture - he had seen men's hands stray too far on her, and he had seen her retaliate. And even if she well knew his hand, he would spare her the displeasure of having to feel it more than necessary.

He led, with her permission - anything else would have seemed suspicious. As she shared his situation, his motives, it was the most natural thing in the world to dance close by the most exclusive company - in the throes of a dance, secrets could slip more easily than at a table. Erwin danced, waltz after waltz - for here, he was quite the popular choice. Young still, unmarried, a man of wealth - oh, they knew nothing. But he danced, graciously accepting the tiny gestures that were a Lady's invitation for a dance - until but a few couples remained on the floor with him, and he saw an opportunity to depart. A delicately cut glass was placed in his hand as soon as he entered the gentlemen's lounge, and though he declined the offer of a cigar, he sipped the amber liquid in his glass. This was their chance to catch their breath, before their company was one again required - and this was the most crucial point in the evening for business proposals. None would pass up on this opportunity - except the two too drunk to speak beyond slurring. Erwin's gaze passed over those reclined on chairs and moving about in the room - this was tiresome, but as soon as the night was over he would have fresh blood and his halls to himself, Mike and Nanaba. Hanji, too, should she grace them with her presence. Oh, he would give them their fair share - but not until he was finished. All this eating took its toll; they needed proper nourishment.  
\---  
Levi knew that more alcohol awaited after the dance, and he didn't look forward to it. Fuck it-- that was always the hardest part, to keep that delicate balance between staying polite and not saying no to a drink and yet still keeping a clear head. But hopefully, at some point soon, most people would be drunk enough to not realise that he wasn't. It seemed many were reaching that stage of the evening, but Levi was disgruntled to notice that Lord Smith remained about as unaffected as himself, and yet he drank a lot more frequently. Then again, he was a bigger man.

The offered cigar was graciously accepted, and he let the servant light it for him before he took a few drags. Levi was in no way a frequent smoker, but he indulged in it once in a while, mostly when it was offered like this. And perhaps smoking could be an excuse for him not to drink. He kept moving too, keeping himself active, striking up a few conversations and joining some more. But if he wasn't too interested in striking business proposals, it wouldn't be very strange, he thought. He was still new, after all, still getting comfortable in the country and with his inherited money, and that might just as well be a very good reason as to why he didn't want to get too drunk; not wanting to risk losing his head as well as all that new money.

But he was integrated with the crowd now, one of them, and pretty much exceptionally uninteresting to people as soon as they realised he had no interest in offering or making any money with any of them. Perfect. He looked for his opportunity to excuse himself for a moment - most people would probably assume he was simply heading to the bathroom - and then he slipped away. Out of the room, through the ballroom, deeper into the mansion on silent feet. He knew fairly well where he was supposed to go, though the map he had seen of the mansion's interior had been a bit incomplete. But second floor, in the parlour, the biggest painting on the wall. A rather terrifying woman with wild hair sat on the wall above the sofa, and Levi had been told it was by da Vinci himself - which was probably why he had been offered so much money for stealing it.

He took it down, carefully leaning it against the back of the sofa with the front turned away from him, and then pulling out a small pocket knife from inside his tailcoat. Leaning down, he moved to carefully start cutting it away from the frame, always straining to hear any steps approaching or other sounds nearby.  
\---  
He withdrew. Erwin kept his gaze on the man he was currently speaking to, but in the corner of his eye he had stayed aware of the newcomer. Of course any man could become inconvenienced, needing to visit the men's room - and if it was just that, Erwin could easily have happened to feel the urge at the same time. But throughout the years he had learned to trust his gut; this man was no simple guest. "Pardon me, gentlemen", he said as he rose, nodding curtly to Michael in signal, setting his drink at the table. "My presence is needed elsewhere, for but a moment."

As soon as the door closed behind him, Michael silently gestured towards the upper floor, and Erwin nodded. Very well, then. There were bathrooms far more easily accessed than the ones on the second floor, after all. With the smallest of smirks and a hard gaze, Erwin near soundlessly moved up the stairs. Not too slow, or he'd miss him - but not too fast, either. Whatever he might intend to do, Erwin wanted to catch him red handed. 

Ah-- there. The slightest of creaks, likely inaudible to a common human ear, betrayed Levi's position. The parlour - oh. No. Eyes narrowing, he stepped quickly but just as silently closed, tugging the glove from his mechanic hand and letting the stiletto blade emerge from the wrist. Kept at the right angle, it would be almost invisible to the other for just as long as he wanted it to be. Turning around a corner, down a short hall, he reached the parlour - and came to an abrupt stop. Of course he had gone for the Medusa - nothing else was worth the effort. But that he had the nerve to cut straight through the canvas... Erwin felt sickened. As he stepped into the ray of pale moonlight, footsteps heavy, arm fully on display and sharp blade at the ready, sickness quicklygave way to offense and anger. "Your dirty fingers soil her, thief. Step back, so I can keep your blood from ruining it further."  
\---  
The canvas was rather thick, but ancient and brittle beneath the sharp blade, and Levi was pretty sure he could make short work of it, and then get out through the window before anyone started missing him downstairs. If anyone ever would, busy as they were with drinks and pointless talk and boasting about how rich they were. He was calm, heartbeat as steady as his hands-- but then just as he put the knife to the canvas, there were footsteps, close, inside the parlour, and Levi turned quickly, knife held in front of him, eyes wide.

It was impossible. He'd been a thief for years, he'd sneaked into people's homes to steal everything from paintings to vases to jewellery, he was trained for this, every part of him always alert, listening, feeling, sensing, reading the atmosphere for anything that might disrupt his plans. This man was huge and heavy, he should have heard his steps from far, far away, but instead it was like he had appeared out of nowhere outside the parlour and just walked inside. Which meant he wasn't only a lord, most likely, but something more. He was dangerous.

And then he noticed the hand, the gleaming metal, and had to stop himself from taking a step back. If not the most, it was certainly one of the more terrifying things he had seen in his life, but he had to keep his head clear and not give in to fear. He had to kill the man, there was no other way out of this. If he didn't, he'd clearly either be killed himself, or at least wounded and arrested. The other was straight up telling him he would get hurt, after all. And that arm of his would either be a clumsy hindrance, or a dangerous shield or weapon, but Levi could only hope it would be the former. Either way, he would probably have a bigger chance at surviving if he left with the painting than not, even if he had killed a lord. It was a bit of a predicament, but at least it made his choice easy.

Quick, without warning, he lunged forward, ready to duck beneath any attacks, watching out for any kick, and thrusting his knife forward and up, intending to drive it into the other's stomach and twist it further upwards. He'd get dirty, but he'd have to endure it, and such a wound would easily make anyone bleed to death fairly quickly.  
\---  
The thief turned, and there was fear in his eyes. Erwin took some satisfaction in that, even if it was not the sheer terror he often managed to inspire in his - vessels. He curled his fingers, then straightened them again, the blade no longer a secret. Mainly he was angry; that piece held sentimental value as well as material, and to see it treated with such utter disrespect was sickening. But he was also, in part, amused by this game. None of the other nobles dared cross him, but they certainly talked behind his back , and this would have been a welcome change, if not for the complete disregard of worth. 

An attack-- he certainly wasn't clever, as he attempted this in the first place, but quick as a weasel. Retracting the blade, Erwin reached for the other's wrist with his mechanic hand, moving to wrench it just enough for the other to be forced to let go. Blood always tasted a little better tinged with fear - but no, this man had soiled himself with a cigar earlier. Erwin had to control himself - it had been too long since he last fed. Tonight, they would have fetched something for him, and he did not need to resort to soiled blood. 

His fingers tightened, though he remained aware of the other's body. Erwin was in no way invincible - his skin was tougher than an ordinary's, his body stronger, but he needed to remain aware, even if he played with the other like a cat who had broken a birds wings. "Repulsive creature", he spat. "Entirely undignified. I ought to cut you open like you did her."  
\---  
Ever so aware of his surroundings even as he charged at full speed towards the other man, Levi spotted the knife, and got his answer about the mechanical arm; it was most definitely not a hindrance. He veered slightly out of the way, trying to confuse the other, but still aiming for him with his knife. But seemingly effortlessly, those metal fingers closed around his wrist, and the strength in them was as terrifying as it seemed impossible. Levi was quicker than most, yet this man seemed to move almost lazily slow, and yet still managed to be faster. But at least there was no knife piercing his wrist, though he was forced to let go of his own. And it was painful, the metal pressing bone together, though he had a feeling the other was stopping just short of breaking anything. But-- how did that even work?

Now was not the time to figure out how the arm worked, however. Levi was educated enough to pass as a noble, but the machinery in an artificial limb was a bit beyond him, and so he shouldn't waste his time on it. If the man died, hopefully the arm should stop working, and maybe he'd just have to bring it with him as well. It would certainly be worth a lot. Of course, walking into this mansion with only one weapon would have been foolish, and so his free hand reached inside the tailcoat once again, pulling a slightly larger knife out, and quickly plunged it into the other man's chest where his heart should be, a grim sort of triumph in his eyes.  
\---  
A glint of steel was the only warning before the thief's hand pressed against his chest, the knife buried deep in his flesh. Absolute silence fell over them for a moment; faintly he could still hear the strings down below, the chatter from the ladies down in the ballroom. But all the noise Erwin made was a grunt - for while he would not be harmed, the pain was just as clear, as inescapable. He had been quicker than expected - clever at least to bring a second weapon, even if this mission had been failed before it begun. Erwin stepped forward, foot on the discarded knife, the other still as deep in his chest. His gaze was focused fully on the other's; unblinking, unfailing. 

His mechanic hand tightened a bit more, grinding bone into bone - slow, steadily increasing pressure. "Remove the knife", he said, voice growing calm, almost pleasant. "You will pay for your crimes, of course - but just how high the price will be is yet to be determined." He turned the wrist in his grip, just on the edge of snapping the bone loose from the elbow. "It takes time to bleed out, see. Broken bones, dislocated joints do little to quicken the process."  
\---  
The other man didn't react as he was supposed to. Nothing about him worked as it was supposed to, and along with the excruciating pain in Levi's wrist and arm, the fear was starting to get to him. Hand slipping from the knife buried in the other's chest, he instinctively clawed at the metal fingers, but he might just as well have been grabbing at stone. And so he went entirely still, save for his quick breathing and expression twisting slightly in pain as well as anger. Was this it, then? There was certainly more of the creepy, weird death threats. Was he going to torture him to death? If so, was all hope lost, or was it worth it playing nice and obedient? Worth a try, at least. Maybe.

Levi reached for the knife, tugged it out of the other's chest and dropped it to the floor. There was a surprisingly small amount of blood on it, and he didn't understand. He'd been told stories of supernatural creatures, of course, both as a small child by his mother and later in the streets, gathered up close around a fire with other kids trying to get through a cold night with stories about ghosts and demons. But Levi wasn't entirely sure if he believed in such things. Then again, how else to explain what this man could do? "What are you?" he hissed. No point beating around the bush. He didn't care if he sounded stupid, if he would live just a few moments longer, it would be worth it.  
\---  
Having the knife removed hurt no less, as his skin had already begun to heal around the edges. But Erwin hid the pain best he could, refused to ruin the facade - this game could be quite enjoyable, once he gained the upper hand. As soon as it clattered to the floor, he knew they were on the right path. It would heal soon enough. His shirt was still ruined, though - not much blood had spilled out, but enough that he would have to change. He backhanded the pretended lord almost lazily, though his hand hit the other's cheek with a satisfying crack. A small price to pay for a knife in Erwin's chest. Of course; he still had time to collect that debt. 

"There is no need to need to lose the manners", he said with a smile void of any humour. "Intruding with a false invitation, happily eating my food and filling your glass, and as if that was not enough..." He supposed he knives spoke for themselves, scattered on the floor as they were. Erwin's grip had not become gentler in the slightest, but he didn't press harder, either. There was little mercy to be earned here. "It is custom for the lesser to introduce himself first, is it not?" His left thumb briefly touched Levi's chin, where a droplet of blood had collected from the split lip Erwin had caused. The little gem seemed to glimmer in the moonlight - but even without a nose like Mike's he could feel he stench of tobacco. Faintly he wrinkled his nose - truly a pity for such a specimen with such potential. "You are evidently no Lord."  
\---  
Had Levi been less steady on his feet, the slap might have made him stagger badly enough to twist his own arm out of place. Fortunately, he remained steady on both feet, only a small grunt escaping him before he whipped his head back around to face the other man again. He might be scared, but he wasn't going to show it. Some respect, however, would be stupid not to show unless he wanted to be killed on the spot. But without the facade and the act, insults were a lot harder to take without feeling some of his temper boiling closer to the surface, but he couldn't give in to it.

But before he could answer, the man reached out and touched him, his fingers startlingly cold against his skin. Levi still didn't move, but his expression conveyed the distaste he felt. Torture seemed likely, if this man had some sick fascination with blood. He needed to somehow get the hell out of there.

"As you've already guessed, I'm nothing but a thief." The accent had not entirely disappeared, though it had changed, no longer as French, and much more subtle. His voice came out a little strained, from both pain and the anger he was holding back."My name's Levi, and the only title I can boast about is that I'm well-known enough in the right places for rich people to hire me to do their dirty work for them."  
\---  
Erwin's head cocked to the side, frown softening just slightly with amusement. "You do not even seem to be lying." Unxecpected - he had waited for some story, accompanied with all the tell-tale signs of a lie - eyes flicking in the wrong direction, blinking, squirming and searching for the exits. But perhaps he was more clever than to try agitating him further. That piece alone, or the signature on it, was worth enough to hire a skilled thief. Erwin had never had use for thieves; he worked with his own, and wouldn't know the famous names of that sort. "A wise decision. I suspect you have no loyalty to your employer - but do not speak his name just yet; I need it written. Disposing of the unwanted is a tedious task, for the most part." His voice was still calm, as if he spoke about some generic business proposal.

He smeared the droplet over Levi's eyelid, focing him to close it, to feel the slight pressure of his - for now -gentle finger over such a vulnerable part. Soiled blood, after all - there was no need to ruin his appetite with that. "My name", he said, as an afterthought, "is Erwin Smith; thirteenth Lord of the house. As for what I am? Dead men do not speak, Levi, and yet you live. Perhaps you shall for a few hours more - after all, I do have a dinner to attend to." That would be wiser. He would need to be sure that he caught the true offender, and make something of a spectacle out of him. His grip remained, but he turned for a moment to the door. "Michael!", he called in a pleasant tone - the door opened within moments to reveal the man, who stepped inside, glanced at them and then the painting, Levi's lip and the knives on the floor. "Keep him here until I return. I'll send Nanaba to accompany you. I would prefer him mostly intact, but he has some spirit to him, and I wouldn't blame you for taking measures." He released the grip only after he was sure Mike could control the other - his friend was armed, after all. And then - a quick return and a few excuses, as if nothing had happened.  
\---  
Levi didn't see why he should be lying; he had no false identity to protect anymore. And his real name was already known to a lot of people like this Erwin - or at least the kind of people Erwin seemed to belong to at a first glance. It was becoming terribly clear that there was a lot more to him than that however, and Levi felt the nausea rise at the back of his throat as the other smeared his own blood across his face, forcing him to close his eyes even as every part of him screamed not to. Once he blinked his eyes open he no longer looked straight up into the other's face, but kept his head down, quickly raising a hand to dry the blood off with the cuff of his expensive tailcoat. This man was dangerous, strong, and not quite as human as Levi was used to. He'd pierced his heart with a knife, for fuck's sake, he should be dead on the floor by now, yet he didn't even seem to be bleeding any longer. And he was going to kill him-- fuck. No. He wasn't. Levi would find a way to escape, he had to.

Childish, almost naive reassurances, but at least they helped him keep somewhat calm. As for his employer-- well, if he was dead at least he couldn't kill Levi, but then there wouldn't be any money for him to collect. Though right now, he would much rather have traded that stupid painting for his life instead of a pile of money.

He looked up as the other man entered, taller even than Erwin, but with no metal hand in sight. Then again, even if he was just an ordinary human, chances were he was still strong enough to keep Levi from escaping. And yet Levi felt quite doubtful about this man being anything less than what Erwin was. It was clear that this was not the right moment to attempt an escape, at any rate, and so Levi only stayed still as he was grabbed by the other man instead, mostly just relieved for the moment that those unforgiving, metal fingers had finally let go of his wrist. But while he was silent and obedient in the other's hold, and barely looked up as the woman with the strange name walked inside, thoughts were racing through his head, everything from escape plans to what made Erwin - and most likely Michael and Nanaba as well - as seemingly invincible as they were.  
\---  
The other's fear was a reassurance, in a way - Erwin had been relatively kind to him, and still gained this reaction. A quick change of shirt - the wound had stopped bleeding - and he was ready to resume his duties as host. It was dark outside by now, and the halls were lit only by candles and oil lamps, creating a comfortable athmosphere. If they only knew... well, they did not, and he intended to keep it that way. Mike and Nanaba would keep him quiet. And later on, perhaps he could amuse himself with playing like a cat would with a mouse. He would have blood from another vessel, after all; only a few hours left before he would be able to enjoy his meal in peace. 

He could muster some conversation. How's the wife, and the children, has the east wing been repaired, how nice, have you visited the exhibition? Business proposals had been closed for the most part; light foods were set out, music now a simple background murmur. Duchess Brzenska made an early exit, leaving her condolences with an air of sarcasm afforded by business partners like the two of them. Some would remain for longer, however, and Erwin would give this act his best efforts.

Meanwhile, Nanaba had somewhat anticlimactically produced a deck of cards, shuffling them skillfully while Mike tied Levi's wrists. A few loops around each, connected by a handsbreadth of rope. Without too much effort, he kicked the back of Levi's knee to force him onto his knees by his side. He set his foot on the rope connecting Levi's wrists, and reclined quite comfortably to accept his hand of cards from Nanaba.


	3. Chapter 3

Levi glowered, though somewhat discreetly, eyes on his hands as Michael tied them. His arm was still aching, and his wrist was starting to bruise already, and he twitched slightly as the rope was tightened. A quiet curse passed his lips as he was forced to his knees and stuck in such a humiliating position; on his knees and hunched over. He tugged at the rope, temper flaring and pushing away the fear for a while. They were toying with him, they hadn't even checked if he had any more weapons - probably because he couldn't hurt them - and now they were enjoying themselves while ignoring him. It was almost worse than being held by the metal hand and threatened, and certainly more frustrating.

He sat down properly on the floor, no longer on his knees so he could straighten up some more. For a long while he was quiet and still, letting the minutes pass, thinking, listening, trying to calm himself down. He brushed his tongue over his swollen lip, which luckily seemed to have stopped bleeding, and then looked up at Michael, voice calm but quiet as he somewhat carefully spoke. "Are you going to tell me what you are?" He'd yet to see any proof they were the same as Erwin, but he thought it made sense that they would be.  
\---  
The two vampires exchanged a glance; amused but also troubled. They knew not what Erwin intended to do with this one - he wanted him relatively unharmed, after all, and Mike could clearly tell his blood would not fit Erwin's standards, in this state. Nanaba shook her head, and Mike grunted in agreement. "Quiet", said Mike, gazing down at the human. "You will receive no answers from us - what the thirteenth Lord wishes to tell you, he will. Now, we have a game to tend to, if you don't mind." The last part was said with a small chuckle - Mike's amusement continued as he lay two pairs on the table, eights and fives of hearts. Perhaps it was a bit rude - but even though the question had been asked in a pleasant voice, the words had been rude enough that Mike felt not the slightest regret.  

Until Nanaba countered with a straight flush - she was bloody cheating, but that was part of their game - and he groaned. They both ranked below Erwin, and felt no need to challenge him for the position - but between Mike and Nanaba, dynamics were a little fluid, and they often chose a game of cards, rather than an outright fight, to determine who ate first. In brute strength, he surpassed Nanaba - but her mind was stronger than his. And they were no wild dogs, biting and clawing at one another to gain the upper hand. They knew that both strength and strategy were essential to their positions - and for most of their kind, having people that suited their positions was more important than acquiring a high rank. And so, a few rounds of cards, a game of chess, would determine the outcome - a result that might as well change the next day.  
\---  
Levi half expected to be slapped again for just opening his mouth, because these people were clearly not quite right in the head, but he kept his eyes on Michael anyway. He was either foolish or too proud, or maybe a bit of both. The way the other two were looking at each other before speaking was as infuriating as it was another blow to his pride, and he wanted to kick and punch and be every bit as lethal as he was used to being, but fighting with these people was not the same as doing it with ordinary humans.

And once he got an answer, it did nothing to alleviate his mood. Yes, he did mind, actually, and he wanted to tell them that with as many colourful words as he could think of. The thirteenth Lord could go and fuck himself for all Levi cared, it was all-- "Bullshit." he muttered, very, very quietly, but then fell silent, just like he'd been told to.  
\---  
Mike's knee, being already in very close range of Levi's face, nudged his split lip with striking precision, even as his eyes remained on the game. "None of that", he ordered, voice taking on a more dangerous tone. "The sooner you learn, the easier this will be." Nanaba raised an eyebrow at the half-lie, but Mike saw no need to correct himself. None of them took any particular pleasure in harming their vessels - but it was always easier to threaten than to follow through. If they could keep them under control without having to resort to slicing skin and breaking bones, they saved both time and blood.  

Erwin, meanwhile, was steering his conversation to an end. It was past midnight, after all; and even the most experienced vampire would grow a bit impatient as the promise of food was right beyond him, available as soon as he managed to get rid of the last guests.  
\---  
Levi flinched back slightly from the knee, unable to help it and hating himself for it, and he hissed quietly at the pain in his wrist as he pulled on the rope. The thought of his possibly impending death weighed heavily on his mind, and the abuse was certainly getting to him even though he'd had worse. But it was probably the whole situation that was scary; even if he had been badly hurt in the past, at least he'd understood how his enemies worked and how he could defeat them. He had to wonder just what would become easier if he played nice, because if there was no way out and some bad behaviour could give him a quicker death, then he might prefer that to the alternative.

But this kind of thinking would get him nowhere except sending him straight into a panic, and so he clenched his teeth together and turned his head away from Michael's knee, trying not to think on anything other than breathing evenly, waiting for time to pass and for something to happen.  
\---  
It was not until the clop of hooves had faded away, that Erwin allowed himself to relax. For a moment   he closed his eyes, leaning towards one of the pillars in the entrance hall. Abrams locked the doors, turning towards Erwin with an attentive yet clearly exasperated look. "See that it is cleaned; of course you will be duly compensated for the trouble." Abrams would protest, of course, as was customary for any butler, but Erwin saw no need to wear his staff out unnecessarily. "Take the morning off, Abrams. You will not be needed until after noon. Understood? Good." His words were short, but his voice held no anger like it had with the intruder. Oh - him. Well, they could keep him by for dinner, could they not? Disposing of him would be tedious, and perhaps... Hm. If he was worth keeping for a while - good blood, no family here, no one to miss him - then a little display might help keep him in check.  

"Bring her in, then", ordered Erwin with a wave of his hand; the three blood hounds, as he called them with some fondness, moved immediately to obey; the young woman they had captured was only barely regaining concioisness as they brought her into the room where Levi and the other two waited.  
\---  
Finally, the wait seemed to be over. Levi could hear the carriages leaving outside, and for the first time he thought about screaming for help. But he was the thief; the painting was still on the sofa and the knives on the floor, and if they looked into his story even a little, they'd find that there was no Lord Rivaille, and that he wasn't related to the Courtaulds at all. He had no legal papers, no real family, and there was no way in hell anyone would be on his side when they could be on Erwin's. No, he was entirely on his own, as always.

The doors opened, and he looked up to see a woman carried inside, half-dead by the looks of it, and while Levi still didn't understand anything of what was going on, he didn't like it one bit. It was not one of the ladies from the party; her clothes weren't nice enough, though she was clearly no street rat like himself either. With Michael's foot still unrelenting on top of the rope, he could do little but watch as she was placed in an armchair. His eyes went from her to Erwin and then to Michael, since he couldn't really see Nanaba's face from his spot on the floor, and he looked equally angry as well as worried.  
\---  
Finally,  finally! They had taken her down with a single hit to the head - chemicals soiled the blood, and any other injury spilled it. She was a good catch; a young adult, well fed but clearly used to working, healthy; she might have lived a long life. But oh, she wouldn't. This would be her purpose. His hounds strapped her down, soft leather cuffs around her wrists and ankles, and then quickly retreated - they did not want to appear challenging to the three higher-ranked vampires.  

Oh, how he had longed for this! Erwin circled her slowly, breathing in the scent of fresh blood from the small cut on her head. She was murmuring now, fearful and with rising panic - so Erwin knelt down on one knee in front of the chair, a tender look on his face as he reached forward to undo the handkerchief used as a makeshift gag. She coughed, opening her mouth to speak but evidently was to frightened to know what to say. "Hush, darling", said Erwin tenderly, wiping a tear from her cheek with his flesh hand. "Don't cry. There is no need for this to hurt." He stroked gently over her throat, pleased to find her the sort that went still with terror rather than tried to jerk away. He rose with a smooth motion, stroking her hair gently to one side of her neck, leaving the other fully vulnerable. Gently he kissed her forehead, humming soothingly as she began to cry in earnest - silent tears, but no less touching. "There, there. Be silent now. This will only sting a bit at first." A firm but gentle grip around the back of her neck forced the young woman's head to the side - and then Erwin bit down, piercing skin and drinking deeply.  
\---  
No. No, this-- this was worse than anything he had imagined so far, it was sick and terrifying and Levi felt both his heartbeat and breathing speeding up, out of his control, cold dread paralysing him one moment and panic causing him to struggle wildly against the ropes the next. He was in no way a saint, he'd done quite terrible things for money as well as to survive, but this was different. He was quite vividly imagining the very same thing that happened to the woman to be his fate as well, and while he could be very cold and indifferent to tears and begging when he was the one in control, the woman's sobbing was now heart-wrenching, her fear contagious. There was no comfort in Erwin's words, no matter how honest they sounded.

And then Erwin pushed her hair to the side, grabbed her neck and-- bit her. For a moment, Levi could only stare in shock, numb, silent and still. Then one word came to him, slipping to the front of his mind from many years ago, and for a moment he was relieved, because finally he knew what he was dealing with. "Aluka." he murmured, with no emotion at all in his voice. And then the panic set in again, as he realised how much danger he was in. He forgot all about the pain in his wrist and tugged hard at the rope, bringing one leg up to clumsily kick at Michael's, breathing uneven as he twisted around on the floor, eyes no longer on Erwin and the poor woman, and not wanting to look either.  
\---  
"Fucking hell--" Mike's words were no longer the refined gentleman's vocabulary, as the thief twisted in his grip, panic clearly giving him unexpected strength. Though no human could best a vampire, as far as Mike knew, he wouldn't underestimate this one. He was kicking-- no, that was quite enough. He aimed a punch at Levi's temple, an elbow to his back and then sought to flatten him to the floor with a grip on his hair. Erwin, the bastard - leaving it all to them. Of course there was no real hatred - but he could afford a few bitter thoughts, loyal as he was.  

Erwin hardly even registered the noise behind him. He trusted Mike and Nanaba, but more than so, he had not fed for more than a week. And now, as her struggles weakened with each long swallow of warm blood, his eyes closed with the pure pleasure of sated hunger. Deep, sweet and metallic, from a most excellent vessel. He could feel life return to him - it would fade away just as quickly, but as a living heart pumped blood into him, he lived again for a moment. It was not until he heard Nanaba's irritated hum that he remembered the other two - or three, even. A faintly placating gesture with his left hand, and Erwin licked gently over the twin pricks in the mostly lifeless woman's neck before the next mouthful, then again - it healed almost as quickly as it had been broken, and the flow stilled. He was sated for now; and he would let the others feed, too. His limbs felt stronger, his mind quicker - if he still had a beating heart, it would have settled into a deep, steady rhythm. But for now, another's blood would have to do. He took Nanaba's seat as she moved to feed - she had won this time, then.  
\---  
Levi tried to flinch away from the punch, but stuck as he was, there was nowhere for him to take cover. The world went white for a moment, and he couldn't help the cry that escaped him. But as soon as he realised the rope wasn't stuck beneath Michael's foot any longer, he moved to get up, even as his vision swam, only to get an elbow to his back, probably much harder than what the other man had intended because of Levi's own movement. He fell back down, barely catching himself on his hands, and then the bigger, impossibly strong man was on top of him with a firm grip on his hair. And yet Levi kept fighting, kicking his legs up to hit anything he could reach while his fingers went to the ropes around his wrists to try and undo the knots, even as he couldn't see what he was doing. He spat a few words; curses in another language, and then, as if realising they probably couldn't understand him, he switched back to English, his own accent very clear in his distress. "You're not having any of my blood, you sick fucking leeches, let me go--!"  
\---  
Nanaba had settled quite comfortable in the vessel's lap, her hand almost tender on the girl's cheek as she bit just above where Erwin had. Their vessel was weak with lack of blood, limbs only weakly fighting the restraints; her crying had stopped, likely because she couldn't even feel the pain anymore. Nanaba drank, humming a little with each swallow. That sound, however, was drowned by the noise of the thief's struggling. Of   course he was afraid, now.  

Leeches? Erwin's nose wrinkled in distaste at the insult, and Mike wrenched his grip tighter. "Your blood is sub par, spoiled by tobacco and alcohol, thinned out from lack of nutrition. Not even my lowest would choose you." Nanaba pulled back, looking sleepy and satisfied. She did not have Mike's advantage in weight and stature, but she could take a petty thief.  
\---  
Levi thought he could feel a few strands being ripped off his scalp, and he stilled somewhat, if only to avoid even more pain. Although that was an exceptionally foolish thought, seeing as he was in the company of several hungry bloodsuckers. But - that was Erwin's voice, so he was apparently done drinking - what was that about his blood being spoiled? It sounded like an insult, but Levi could not see it as anything other than a bit of a blessing. And if these creatures existed, maybe the God he'd been brought up to believe in did as well. "Then why are you keeping me here? Why not just kill me?" It made sense that Erwin would want some kind of revenge for the painting, but if he wasn't after Levi's blood, why keep him alive?

He kept tugging at the ropes, nimble fingers working on the knots even though he had now stopped struggling, and once Nanaba came to take over from Michael, the rope was left dangling only from one wrist. He tested her grip on him a bit - but after concluding that she was a lot stronger than she looked, his struggles lessened once again. He had in no way given up, and his breathing was still unsteady with fear, but his head was clear enough for him to realise that he wasn't going anywhere at the moment, so it was better to save his strength for later.  
\---  
Panic did nothing to keep him under control, clearly. Fear was good, but not too much; he was tired of frantic pleas and threats, and the ever-existent demand for explanation. "This is not about you, thief", he replied, even though he knew that ignoring him would likely have a better effect. "We feed at our leisure - and you have good blood underneath the stink of tobacco. You will be useful enough some day, even if it is not enough to compensate for destroying such fine art."

He hummed, willing to indulge curiosity for a while, as he had just fed. "No, you will remain until we know the identity of your employer, and you will remain until we have found him, and he has-- paid his debts. After that, you might live for a bit longer if you prove useful." If not? The threat was clear. Erwin glanced over to where Mike drank, eyes closed and grip tight around the lifeless woman's neck. She was beyond rescue at this point - pale as a corpse and limp in Mike's hands. After some time, he pulled back with a grim smile - they needed to drink, of course, but the very last swallows sometimes came with a very real taste of distress. Bitter and unpleasant on the tongue, and for the mind. But there was no room for such soft-hearted sympathies.  
\---  
There he had his answer. He was nothing but a reserve, food put in storage, like a bottle of wine kept on a shelf until it was good enough to drink. So he was to be fed things that made his blood better and kept away from alcohol and such things that made it taste bad. It was sickening. And the constant fear was not going to get better if he would have to sit around locked up somewhere and wait for nothing but for someone to come and drain him of blood.

"Lord Djel Sanes." he said, a bit of resignation in his voice. Exhaustion was getting to him, and so was all the damage he had taken; his wrist ached, his head, his back, and it had been a very long time since he had experienced panic like he had tonight. "Though I never met him in person, he only sent one of his servants to find me, and the servant never told me his name." He'd looked up the lord, of course, as he always did with the people that hired him to make sure they could pay the money they promised, and most of them was aware of it too. He'd seemed rich enough, people called him a viscount, apparently a bit eccentric and with quite an obsession for obscure art. But Levi cared little for him, and even less now. If his name could buy him a way out somehow, it was a price he would pay without a moment's hesitation.  
\---  
"Sanes?" Erwin glanced at Nanaba. "I can't say I am surprised. That greedy bastard - he was smoking quite comfortably in my lounge just an hour ago." His gaze fell to Levi, eyes narrowing slightly. "I hope, for your sake, that you are telling the truth. I will have to keep you here until we know, at least. Hmm-- Michael. Fetch him for me, tomorrow or the day after. Nanaba, have the maids clear the guest room by the end of the east hall. We can't have this one running his mouth, no matter how cooperative he is now.”

They would need to secure him, of course. The guest room he spoke of was quite comfortable, just as pleasant as any other; except for bars on the windows, double locks on the reinforced door and absolutely no means of escape for a common human. A thief might have other skills at his disposal, but they would prevent his escape. "He will stay there until we have dealt with Sanes; if he proves to be too much trouble, we can give him to the lower. If not, he will live for some time longer. Go, the both of you. I'll keep him under control."  
\---  
There had been no promise of freedom in exchange for the name, only a small chance at less discomfort, if even that. But with nothing else to bargain with, Levi would take what little he could get. Surely, Lord Sanes would deny all involvement in what had happened, unless they forced it out of him somehow - and Levi would not put it past these people. He had to wonder whether they'd go that far though, or take Sanes word for it and kill Levi off for lying. No one believed a thief if there was a Lord they could listen to instead, he'd learned that the hard way.

But the threat was clear; behave or be killed. And so as he felt Nanaba's grip on him tightening at first in quiet warning before letting go completely, he only very slowly sat up, making an effort to not appear hostile. One hand went to his head, then his lip, checking for injuries, but the blow to his head would probably just give him a bruise, and his lip had stopped bleeding long ago. Then he turned finally to glance up at Erwin, and regretted it at once. A slight flinch and a frightened stare before he quickly looked away from the other's red eyes. Levi could quite distinctly remember that they had been blue earlier, and it wasn't difficult to guess what had caused the change.

He glanced at the woman instead, not really surprised to see her dead, but averting his gaze anyway. "Why do you do it?" he asked quietly, carefully. He didn't know if speaking counted as disobedience, but he had to take the risk; any information he could get might help him get away in one way or another. "Do you need it to survive?" Every story was different; the vampires he'd heard stories about on the streets was not quite the same as the aluka or estrie he'd heard about as a child, even though they were all bloodsuckers.  
\---  
Erwin smiled, slow and predatory - he had drunken his fill, but his thirst would never be fully sated. But such was the fate of his kind. Never full enough, warm enough, alive enough to still the need; always hungry, searching, ending lives in their wake. Structure and dynamics such as those between Erwin and his closest, and in turn their inferiors, a complicated network of power and loyalty, kept vampires from going rogue, and kept their victims to a reasonable level. If too many disappeared, suspicions would rise - they had to be careful, to plan out and take only those who would not be missed. Unfair, yes; but what could they do?

Mike loosened the restraints, fingers almost gentle; she had given them life, after all, if only for a moment. There was no need to treat the body with disrespect; according to their standards, of course. Burying her under Christian symbols would only be a false gesture. And so he lifted her almost delicately, cradling her cold body in his arms as he left the room. Nanaba left shortly after, seemingly disinclined to reply, and they were alone yet again, though Levi did not at all seem as eager to fight now. Perhaps Erwin could indulge him; it was no strange question for one who knew so little. "Of course", he said, leaning back in his chair. He pulled out a napkin, and started gently cleaning little spots of blood from his mechanic arm. "We need it directly from the vessel. This is the kindest way to feed; far more so than one of your kind might slaughter a pig. Though, that is where the likeness ends."  
\---  
When Levi dared to look up again, it was only to find Erwin smiling, sharp fangs on display. He looked to Michael and the woman as an excuse to avert his gaze without lowering it to the floor again, trying to steel himself somewhat as he watched the dead woman being carried away out of sight. He would not end up like that.

Once she was gone, he turned his head back in Erwin's direction, his own hand touching his bruised wrist as he watched the gleaming metal, and couldn't help but shudder slightly. But while it was terrifying, it was also rather fascinating, and the mechanism and detail was quite incredible. Levi had seen his fair share of valuable things in his life, and he knew that arm could fetch a very high price. Not that he was going to try and steal it. His priorities lay on getting the hell out of there alive, and then to run as far away from London as possible. Cowardly, perhaps, but Levi didn't care. He might be proud, but he valued his life higher than some pride and reputation. He didn't have the faintest idea about how he would escape, however, but he had to keep thinking he would. Stopping the vampires from drinking blood and killing them that way would be rather impossible. The only way he could really see himself extending his life in their company was to keep his blood unclean in their eyes. While starving himself by refusing to eat seemed to be a generally bad idea, there had to be other ways...

Vessel-- he scowled at the word, eyes searching the room. Hadn't there been a pen on the table? He couldn't see it from the floor, and he didn't know if he would make it, and it certainly wouldn't be pleasant, but neither would getting his blood sucked out of him be. "Are there more of your kind? What do you call yourselves-- vampires?" The questions were a diversion, and suddenly Levi was up on his feet, throwing himself towards the little table just where Erwin sat. There was a pen - and even as he saw Erwin moving out of the corner of his eye - he grasped it and plunged it without a moment's hesitation into his own arm, sharp nib first, gleaming black with ink, and hopefully some more would leak out and mix with his blood.  
\---  
Oh, he didn't like that? Of course the prideful humans didn't like to think of themselves as vessels - rather they thought they were entitled to their lives and identities. Of course! Erwin had never expected anything different - but it did become tedious, dealing with their quirks and habits. Erwin had never kept a vessel nearby for more than the few days it took to clean their blood of whatever filth they had soiled it with - tobacco passed fairly quickly, alcohol too - diseases sometimes lingered long enough that it wasn't worth keeping the vessel alive. Mike was a brilliant ally in that - without doubt he could tell who was suitable, if their blood was decent, if it was worth to keep them alive for a bit longer. This once certainly was - his body strong, healthy though lacking nutrition - something quite easily corrected. In three days or so, he would be ripe for the plucking, and Erwin couldn't pretend he would not enjoy biting into that tender, pale skin.  

Less than interested in chattering with the prisoner, he only lazily glanced up-- and even if he reacted quickly, it was not quick enough. But he didn't go for Erwin's eyes, his throat or any other vulnerable spot - no, he stabbed himself deep in the arm, tendrils of raven ink spilling out alongside red blood. For a fraction of a second he stared in disbelief; and then he made the connection. Snarling, he lurched forward, mechanic hand squeezing Levi's throat as the other ripped the pen out, spilling ink and wasted blood across the floor. He didn't hold back, but rather followed the motion through, slamming Levi backwards onto the floor and straddling him, knees pinning each arm down, metal hand in a grip just loose enough to let the other breathe. He had been fooled - and, oh, he did not enjoy that.


	4. Chapter 4

The pain had him gasping, doubling over slightly, and for a moment he wondered if it had been worth it. Surely, there would only be even more pain to come now, and it wouldn't be self-inflicted. And the chances of them letting him go felt close to none, so now he either had seconds left to live, or he'd bought himself a few extra days of pain and fear, depending on how patient these creatures were, or how badly they wanted his blood. But he'd need those days. Sometimes, one had to settle for very little, if it meant being able to survive for just another day.

The snarl was terrifying, coming from behind those sharp fangs, and yet from something so human-looking, and Levi flinched back, much too slow, much too fragile and human, mind numb with pain - and also fear once the metal fingers closed around his throat. He was going to die; for a moment he was absolutely certain, and then he let out a choked cry, twitching wildly in the vampires grip as he wrenched the pen out of his flesh, eyes wide with shock, fear and pain. His back hit the floor and his head spun again - for about a second he thought he was going to faint as the back of his head slammed against the floor, and then he almost wished he had. For a moment he regretted what he'd just done, wondered if ending it all then and there would not be better, let the bloodsucker kill him-- then he choked in a few breaths of air and looked up at the creature above him, managing just barely to focus. And maybe the fear and pain and panic was starting to drive him mad, but his eyes were dark, icy and yet triumphant, because yes, they both knew he'd fooled the other just now, even if he was the one on the floor gasping for air and bleeding. He wouldn't make it easy for them.  
\---  
Ink in his blood. Ink! Erwin's gaze burned with anger, mechanic hand squeezing, merciless around the other's throat. Still, he was aware enough to put pressure on the windpipe rather than veins - not out of kindness, but because he was damn well going to have him alive. At first he had been merely a convenient vessel, but now this had become a battle Erwin had to win. "I will personally", he said, fingers cruelly digging into pale flesh, "drain you of blood. Every last drop, while you grow too weak to move, to speak, too weak to even beg for mercy. You won't escape this", he spat, yanking up the wrist still tied by the rope, and releasing Levi's throat to retie the rope around the other - with none of the finesse from before, and too tight - it would harm him if left on too long.

But anything to burn out the triumphant look in those eyes. Vaguely he registered footsteps outside the door - Nanaba's. " _Is it finished_ ", he bit out roughly, half order and half question. Her affirmative reply was muffled through the door, but clear enough in any case. Standing, he yanked Levi with him by the rope around his wrists, all thoughts of hospitality far gone.  
\---  
Just as sudden as the triumph in his eyes had appeared, it died away at the increasing lack of air, and at Erwin's words, promising no escape and giving him no hope. But then buying himself time had been his only plan, really, and now when he hopefully had some more of it, he could think of another plan, while looking out for every opportunity to soil his blood further. He didn't regret what he had done any longer, even as he ran out of air, choking and twisting his head desperately to get some.

The yank on the rope had him twitching in Erwin's hold, his wrist and the open wound in his arm both painful, but then suddenly all that mattered was that he could breathe again. He gasped in a huge breath and then shook with several coughs, very little fight left in him as Erwin tied his hands, rope digging into skin, leaving marks on already bruised skin. They'd have to take care of him, though. Tend to his wound, feed him well; if Erwin intended to drink him dry, there would be no point in him bleeding out or for his wound to get infected. But before that, there would evidently be hell to pay for what he had done.

Yanked back to his feet by a wounded arm, he couldn't help but cry out, and he staggered rather badly. He was still bleeding, blood soaking through his expensive clothes, but he tried to match Erwin's steps to minimize the strain on his arm. Telling himself stubbornly that he'd had worse, he clenched his teeth together and managed to keep quiet as he was dragged away, even though he was quite unsteady on his feet.  
\---  
It was petty, it was ridiculous and beneath him to engage in this fight - but if there was one thing Erwin did not lack, it was determination. As he sat on a privileged position, with a stable fortune and supply of blood, there were few challenges in his daily life. So when a mere human managed to get under his skin, and to rouse his anger like few others could - well, then he would find his challenge responded to. Erwin would not give in, if this so would be a week of nursing the human back to decent enough health that he could drink him dry. He did not want to let to of a specimen of such potential - and he did not let crimes go unpunished.

Nanaba stayed back, giving him a wide range - a wise decision. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Levi - but also she couldn't help but sigh internally. How about not letting him move in the first place, Erwin? But that sort of question was for later. She led the way, in relative silence, to the appointed guest room. None of the extra measures, the bars and locks that made the comfortable room a highly secure prison, were directly visible. There were no sharp or heavy objects - the furniture was heavy, solid wood and soft padding. The bed large and luxurious - except for the small detail of a metal cuff fastened with a chain to the foot of the bed. No, the thief wouldn't escape this. The chain would allow him to the bathroom right by, and around the room, but not further. Entering the room, Erwin grabbed Levi's wrists closer, mechanic arm thrusting out to push him backwards onto the bed, and he just as quickly reaching to cuff his ankle firmly. He didn't want to touch him for a moment longer than he had to, with his blood soiled like that.  
\---  
Levi barely had time to take a look around the room that would be his prison before he was pushed down on the bed, and for one short moment, his temper flared up again. With a somewhat hoarse snarl - though nowhere near as animalistic as the vampire's had been - he wrenched his wrists from Erwin's hold at the same time as he released them. But the pain it caused was very effective in calming him right back down again, and there was no resistance from him as he was chained to the bed. So this was where they kept their "vessels", was it? Levi had to wonder how many poor souls had waited in here with no idea of what was awaiting them, but terrified all the same. He was glad then, that he had the small privilege of knowing and being able to do everything he could to prevent it from happening.

But for now, he was tired, exhausted from pain and shock - even though he was more used to being awake at night than during the day, he wanted sleep. Of course, there was the wound that needed to be taken cared of, and he would do it if they didn't, though he wasn't about to tell them that. But while he might endure a lot to get out of this, he was not going to let himself get infected or sick if he could avoid it.  
\---  
The cuff snapped shut, locking without the need of a key - and Erwin immediately let go of the soiled vessel. He wouldn't have been harmed by a bit of tobacco, really - that was mainly a matter of taste. But ink? If it didn't posion Levi, it would him, if he drank too soon. And an infection in human blood, where Erwin had none of his own to replace it... that might be very dangerous. Still he knew that he could not possibly leave this man be - he had to be drained, for they could not afford to let this information leak out. They could kill him, too - and it was most likely the wisest course of action. But such defiance had to be corrected. He could not uphold his authority if he became too soft with the humans - what would they think of him then? At least the thief didn't seem too eager to fight. Two of his servants had remained by the door - low-ranking vampires, of course, and well aware of his doings. "Fetch him something to clean up", said Erwin, voice annoyed enough that one of them immediately moved to obey, while the other remained; all as according to protocol.

For a moment he closed his eyes, collecting his emotions; he could not let this get out of hand. He stepped closer to the door, knuckles turning white with his grip around the handle of the door. "Clean it up", he said without giving him even a glance. "I have emptied vessels for centuries. The woman you saw earlier felt no pain; rest assured that was purely because I wished it. There are far worse ways, for those who continously try to rouse my temper."  
\---  
He'd really struck a nerve with his actions. Levi couldn't help but feel some satisfaction at that knowledge, both for the sake of just being difficult, as well as feeling a bit better for knowing that he still had some power over these strong, powerful creatures. He followed Erwin with his gaze, eyes on his retreating back after glancing once at the servants, increasingly bothered by not knowing if they were vampires as well, or humans working for them, sworn to secrecy for one reason or another. Maybe they had sold their souls to these demons in exchange for something, if such a thing was possible. Levi didn't know, but no longer found it improbable.

He blinked slowly, almost lazily, too exhausted to put any attitude into his voice, which was hoarse from being strangled. "Why whould I?" he asked, pausing for only a moment before he continued. "I'd much rather bleed to death or get infected and sick than let you have my blood. And there are always worse ways, but I don't care much for neither your threats nor your temper, old man." He had said centuries just now, so he really was one. And while Levi might be lying - might, because if he found no other way out, he would probably rather kill himself than give this man the satisfaction of draining him of blood - but he would clean his wound as soon as they untied the ropes and left him alone. But if he had no strength left to fight physically, he could always do it with words, to prove that he had in no way given up, and that he still intended to keep fighting.  
\---  
"Then die, if you will." It would be best to leave now, leave and let him be, this too-clever, too-quick creature. "But I doubt you can bring your own hand to harm yourself, after writhing like a worm under mine." A glance over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised. His gaze grew colder; age was no insult in itself, but the disrespect, the endless tirade of words, the lack of fear in the face of danger. "And if we find you do not fear death, we do not lack other methods. Is it pain that you fear? Isolation? A loved one harmed?" The maid returned, and Erwin waved for her to set the supplies down at the small table by the bed.

"Undo those yourself", he said, nodding to Levi's wrists. "You were able to before; two dead hands might make killing yourself slightly more difficult, see. Oh - maybe I should break your fingers?" Erwin's tone had shifted from hostile to genuinely curious, as he weighed his options. "That wouldn't cause your blood harm, but keep you safe, wouldn't it?" His mechanic hand shifted experimentally.  
\---  
He had a good point, Levi thought bitterly. Perhaps he didn't necessarily fear death, but neither did he want to die, and he probably wouldn't kill himself, would probably convince himself that if he didn't get out, it would at least be better to go down fighting, to the very last moment. Suicide would mean he'd given up, and he would never. Every second was always worth living. Some consolation was to be found in that those loved ones would probably be safe-- Erwin had not known him before tonight, very few knew each other's names in his line of work, and they could break every bone in his body without him giving them any names, of that he was confident. And now, instead of admitting that he would indeed take care of the wound himself, and instead of letting the other's threats get to him, he settled for a small twist of his hands, not bothering to hide the wince it caused.

"I can't." he snarled, resisting the urge to cough. "Your biggest leech lackey gave me a length of rope to work with before, but if you want me to get infected and die, then leave it. Makes it a little easier for me, I suppose. And why are you still asking me questions when you're so clearly the one in charge? Break my fingers - it's not like I can stop you. But then you clearly enjoy hurting those who can't defend themselves." He wasn't entirely sure why he kept talking, why he made it worse for himself. Except maybe he wasn't, because it was really as bad as it could be at this point. Sure they could add a little pain as well as take some away, make him fear them even more, make him panic again and perhaps even beg for mercy, but it wouldn't change his situation much at all.  
\---  
"So melodramatic", muttered Erwin. "Reminds me of the opera; overplayed, terrible taste and soon to die out." A look of distaste as he looked Levi over. "Well then, by all means. If you would rather see your hands grow numb and blue, give up. If not, think of something clever. This is your own doing, greedy little thief." Erwin was tired, full, and had no patience for whined complaints. The knot was a rather simple one, and his hands tied in front - he could damn well use his teeth. Erwin suspected he wouldn't get him to beg prettily so early on, like some other vessels had. "Hurt others - you say that as if it is something to feel shame for, thief." A smile entirely void of humour, as Erwin stepped out to slam the door shut. He couldn't stand the thought of the thief one moment longer, or he might go mad. The door locked, he realised he would need Mike's help if he were ever to clear his mind tonight. And with fresh blood, spirits roused, he saw no reason to keep his bed to himself this night.  
\---  
Levi bristled slightly - _he had a name_ \- but remained on the bed. Perhaps he'd have to give it up for just a few hours, take some comfort in being alone, take care of his injuries, rest his hoarse throat for a while, and try to get some sleep, even if there would be nightmares. And so he said no more, only glared until the door slammed shut and he heard the double locks clicking. Why that was even necessary with the chain most likely preventing him from reaching the door at all, he didn't really understand, but then perhaps they didn't always chain up their victims-- vessels. Levi scowled, then brought his wrists to his mouth to bite the rope off. Since he'd refrained from tugging at the bonds too much, the knots was still rather loose, and soon enough blood flowed back into his hands and fingers as he removed it completely and placed it on the bedside table, briefly wondering what would happen if one tried to strangle a vampire.

He stood up, even as his body screamed for him to just lie down and sleep, and carefully unbuttoned tailcoat, waistcoat and shirt before removing them. The waistcoat was the only one still free from bloodstains, and so he left it hanging on the bedpost at the foot of the bed while he put the rest by the locked door. The constant tinkling of the chain as he moved about did nothing to make him feel better, and he did not look forward to trying to sleep with it; the sound was bound to startle him awake every time he moved.

The wound from the pen was small but deep, the skin around it stained with blood and ink. He cleaned it in the bathroom, hands trembling slightly, and while he got rid of most of the blood, the ink stuck, and for a moment he simply stared at the discoloured skin, heartbeat speeding up slightly. He wouldn't be able to get it out. It would fade, but for now there was nothing he could do. Leave it. Don't look at it. The maid had brought bandages, and he quickly but carefully wrapped his arm up, snug but not too tight, perhaps covering a larger area than he actually had to while trying to divert his thoughts elsewhere, like hoping desperately he wouldn't get any symptoms of ink poisoning, because he frankly felt terrible enough as it was. He cleaned his swollen lip and the rest of his face free of blood, washed his hands two, three, four times before he managed to stop, and then left for the bed. At least it was blessedly soft and warm and with sheets fresh and clean, and he crawled beneath the blanket and curled up on his uninjured arm. He was out in seconds, even if he had a few rather horrible hours of disrupted sleep and nightmares filled with all manners of bloodsucking creatures ahead of him.  
\---  
Mike's hands had since long stilled on his shoulders as he became lost in conversation, but Nanaba's small, nimble fingers still worked over his mechanic arm. A fine cloth, oil, thin pointed tools and picks; her gaze was intent on her work, and unlike Mike's, her touch entirely professional. Erwin could impossibly reach every little screw and link by himself - and in order for it not to rust, it needed regular attention. This had become something of a habit after feeding; they would tend to one another, find some comfort in their shared company. Because however cruel towards defiant thieves, however merciless with their vessels, they did not lack emotion. It took its toll - their state was a both a curse and unprecedented power. Deep down, they were not above a certain need for intimacy. And while Nanaba's hands had never touched Erwin's flesh for more than practical reasons, he trusted none as much as her to keep his hand in good condition. She and Mike shared rooms, however - and often enough Mike woke instead in Erwin's bed, for one reason or another. There was little love spoken between them, but more felt, in their odd ways.

"You should kill him", said she, ever practical. "Feed his blood to the river instead, soiled as it is." But Erwin shook his head, frowning faintly. "I will drain him; if not by my teeth, then I will set a spile in his throat and watch the light die down in his eyes. If I let him run--" Mike's hands squeezed the muscle of his tense shoulders, and Erwin forced them to relax as the taller man once again found a steady rhythm. "I cannot. Killing him now would mean defeat."  
\---  
Nightmares, and plenty of them, caused Levi to wake again and again, gasping and haunted by shadows with red eyes, dark patterns spreading across his skin, a constant clinking of metal in the background that he was always uncertain about if it was in his mind or came from the chain as he twisted around. Sometimes, he would end up lying on his injured arm, and every time he woke up, it was accompanied by a rising sense of nausea that he never allowed himself to give in to.

The night passed, though Levi couldn't tell; the dark curtains effectively shut out any daylight and he was too exhausted to get up and pull them away. Just as he was about to doze off once again, those metal fingers curled, claw-like and terrifying, just beside his head, and he startled awake, twisting wildly and then sitting up, only then realising that it was only the locks in the door clicking. There was little comfort to be found in that, however, although once the door opened the person outside was not one he recognised. And they might have looked friendly, were it not for the scrutinising look in their eyes behind their glasses and slight grin that showed off their fangs. They were wearing trousers and a waistcoat without a jacket, shirt sleeves rolled up to their elbows, and their long, brown hair only partially pulled back, messy and looking like it might need a wash. Levi curled his fingers into the blanket, wary and ready to fight if he had to.

"None of that." Their words were straightforward, and they were at his bedside in seconds, hands impossibly strong yet not too rough, almost gentle as they grabbed for his arm. "You have my word on that I won't hurt you, as long as you cooperate. I'm going to check on your wound, not eat you, because your blood smells like shit at the moment, to be honest. Of all the crazy things to do, why did you have to go and stab yourself with a pen..." They kept talking as they unwrapped the bandages, and Levi promptly turned his head away to not have to watch the stained skin, managing to keep still and silent as they prodded at his sore arm. He felt them dab something wet and cold against the wound, and he twitched and turned just in time to see his own skin seal up, still discoloured with black ink, but with no trace of any injury, not even the faintest of scars. But-- he'd seen it just a few hours ago, it had been deep and-- and the bruise around his wrist was gone as well. "Vampire blood." the other told him, smiling their dangerous smile. "Some of mine. Don't tell Erwin. Though I guess he's going to notice, but I'll deal with that."  
\---  
Erwin slept easily, if only because he needed to rest his mind for a bit. Techincally he did not need to - but feeding had a tendency of making him a little sleepy, and it was a good way to calm his mind. Acting in anger rarely helped - this situation had become something like a game to be played out. A bit of a challenge - something he rarely experienced nowadays. But Mike's body was heavy and solid beside him, and Nanaba's light snoring audible from the other side of the bed, where she had curled into the other man. They and Hanji were his closest, and he knew better than to ignore their advice. But this was different, somehow personal. When Erwin woke, after quite a few hours, Nanaba was already up - and if he knew Mike, he might remain for an indefinite amount of time if he wasn't woken.

As it was the weekend, Erwin had no appointments beyond a visit to the gardens tomorrow afternoon; he might as well see to his most recently aquired vessel. He dressed in a more relaxed manner; trousers, shirt and a blue velvet vest, watch in his pocket, shirt sleeve pinned back to reveal his arm. He hid it, of course, around finer company; here there was no need. And if the sight of it helped keep the thief under control, all the better. He had walked down the corridor, turning towards the guest room-- and found the door unlocked. For a moment, cold anger surged through him; had he escaped? Oh, he would-- but then he heard voices, a soft clink of metal. The damned... "Hanji!", he barked, slamming the door shut behind him as he entered the room. "What in the _world_..."  
\---  
Levi wrenched his arm out of the other's grasp, holding it to his chest in a protective manner for a few seconds before he tore his accusing eyes away from their face to look down at where the wound had been seconds ago. Torn between horror and being grateful, he finally settled on irritation. They had no right to do such a thing without asking him; he was tired of these creatures doing whatever the hell they wanted just because they could. And now he had no excuse to cover up the skin with bandages, and he refused to wear the bloodied shirt. "I want clean clothes." he muttered, finding his voice a little less hoarse today, if not entirely recovered. "And I thought you'd give me food, fatten me up or something like that."

"Only your blood, so to speak." the other shrugged, still in an annoyingly good mood despite more or less discussing his impending death. "But you could use some fattening up too, admittedly, even if you're going to die. I'll see what I can--" They quickly fell silent at the sound of Erwin's voice, turning towards him with a rather angelic smile while Levi tensed up again, and then shrugged once more. "Heard Braun talking about your new little vessel, and I got curious. I gave him some of my blood too because frankly - I get why he might have deserved a rough night or two, but you're not gonna get his blood any faster by letting him get infected. But-- I'll leave you to it, now. And send for breakfast, because someone is going to have to remember that he needs to eat a lot more frequently than we do." They slipped past Erwin and out the door with a small nod of the head, the only show of respect so far, and then they was gone.

Levi was still on the bed, curled up slightly but ready to spring into action, eyes wary on Erwin. He felt a little less tired now, though he wasn't going to pick a fight unless Erwin attacked him, knowing that would get him nowhere. The other vampire - Hanji - had made it sound as if Erwin wouldn't like his wound being healed, but that had been their fault, and he should damn well not have to suffer for it.  
\---  
No one but Hanji would have dared such a stunt; Mike and Nanaba were no mindless servants, but they wouldn't offer a challenge without meaning it. Hanji, however - they had always been like this. Rash, wilful, disrespectful; sometimes even openly challenging him, a few times in company. But they were good, competent and fiercely loyal - whenever the situation called for it, they were fully focused. These moments, however, made him doubt that, if only for a moment. He glared after them for a moment - but he would deal with them later.

The vessel seemed properly wary. A good start. "Good morning", said Erwin, as pleasantly as he would have addressed an equal. "I hope you have slept well - rest can do wonders for the taste." A grin, less out of happiness than need to seem in control. A bit of triumph, too - at least he had not escaped yet. "Ah-- breakfast." Two other vampires entered, working quickly to set out breakfast for Levi by the small table next to the bed. As there was a guest in the house, it had no doubt been prepared in advance, to be served so quickly.  
\---  
The pleasantries seemed to mirror Erwin's personality perfectly; polite and gentlemanly at first, to then turn completely into a fully-fledged threat. And so, Levi did not bother to soften the cold, hateful glare he answered with in the slightest. "No, I slept like shit, and I will most likely continue to do so while I'm under your roof." His arm no longer hurt though, and after seeing Hanji so openly mouthing off to this man, he did feel a bit better. Even if they had been a vampire as well, and so readily accepting of his death at the hands of their kin, it was uplifting to see someone not acting like a beaten dog in Erwin's presence. It made him slightly less intimidating, maybe a bit more human.

Breakfast arrived, and it was every bit as splendid as dinner had been last night. There were scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes, bread with different marmalades and jams, as well as meat; bacon, sausages and beef cut into perfect, thin slices, with tea and fresh milk to drink. Levi would have been ever so grateful had he not known of the ill intent behind it, but he still ate once the maids had left, trying to ignore Erwin's constant staring. He was trying to scare him, probably, and Levi wouldn't let him, at least not by such simple means. The food was delicious, and at least he did not have to worry about it being poisoned even if he was the only one to eat it. Of course, there was no way he'd manage to eat it all, seeing as it was a lot of food and he wasn't used to eating as much as half of it, but he ate until he was full and then pushed the plate away. By then, a servant had arrived and silently placed a clean set of clothes at the foot of the bed before just as silently leaving again.  
\---  
 _Hanji_ \-- he would have to speak to them. Their casual manners around him, the outright defiance and disregard of his orders had clearly affected the thief's opinion of him. But anger meant a lack of control - he would remain calm, but no less threatening. And while he waited for his vessel to feed himself - at least he didn't protest that - he settled down to watch. Head tilted just slightly to the side, he watched the other eat, gaze focused, not even blinking. The man ate with such obvious enthusiasm, that Erwin could not help but miss... Not the taste, because he had not lost his senses. But the satisfaction, the erasure of a good, honest meal. Drinking was something completely different - a deep, feral urge. There was none of that for him now; little pleasures such as afternoon tea, long forgotten. But he could enjoy this, at some level.

As he finished, seemingly quite content and with none of the manners he had pretended at yesterday, he shoved his plate away, as if this was some cheap tavern in a port. "You are welcome", he said in a low voice, one eyebrow faintly raised. "Yesterday you were quite capable of decent manners, but now it seems they have entirely disappeared."  
\---  
Ignoring Erwin, Levi's eyes went to the clothes left at the foot of the bed once he was done eating, debating on whether he should move to get them, and have to get closer to the vampire, even if only for a moment. Worth the chance, perhaps, to further show he was no longer afraid. He was - of course his fear from yesterday had not disappeared overnight - but Erwin didn't need to know it. And so he pushed the blanket away, moved to grab the pile of clothes, and pulled it towards him at the top of the bed, trying to not appear rushed. He picked the shirt up and looked it over, and then pulled it on, buttoning it and smoothing out the sleeve where his wound had been, and where the stained skin still was. At least now he could no longer see it, though his gaze lingered there for a moment, brow furrowed, and then forced his attention back to Erwin.

"I don't see the point in being polite to people who wants to kill me." he bit back. "And you wouldn't bother feeding me at all if it wasn't to make my blood more to your sickening tastes, so I'm damn well not going to thank you for it. I'm just eating so that I'll have strength enough to fight back and escape once I get the chance. Besides, I'm no gentleman, just a common thief from the streets. Some fucking shit tastes you've got."  
\---  
"Give him a finger and he takes the whole hand", muttered Erwin pointedly. He would keep this an exception, and his ordinary vessels the rule. Only a few times before had he kept a vessel by for more than a day; and those times, they had easily given in to fear. Some came with threats at first, but succumbed to pleading far more quickly than this one. They offered riches, titles, other potential victims; Erwin had never let himself be swayed. Of course he could later use whatever information they blabbered at him in hope to escape - but he always followed through with his plans.

"You complain about my tastes, yet happily eat meat that is long since dead, cut from animals who sleep in their own filth? No, humans were never too clever. Short-sighted, though; it is as if you forget all that has happened, and fail to realise your actions have consequences." Perhaps he should dry this one out bit by bit? A little drink each morning, merely a mouthful - see him weaken, lose his defiance? Perhaps.  
\---  
Levi shuddered most involuntarily at Erwin's choice of words-- ridiculous of course, the meat was clean even if the animals were not, and he would never eat anything that he thought was ruined or carried disease. He glared once again in Erwin's direction, wondering what he was even doing there if he couldn't drink his blood at the moment, and he had to swallow down the rising bile in his throat at the thought of those fangs piercing his skin and slowly draining him of blood. Would he go for his neck too, or was that not mandatory? It seemed very intimate, and just the thought of having this man and his terrifying metal hand so close to him stirred up all the fear from the previous night all over again. Levi hated it, hated Erwin for it, hated that he still had no idea of how he was going to escape any of it.

"Weren't you a human once, too?" he snapped, hiding his fear behind anger. "Isn't that how it works? You're just some ghost clinging to this pathetic excuse of a life where you have to devour other human lives to survive; if that isn't sickening, I don't know what is."  
\---  
" _Enough_ ", growled Erwin, patience suddenly slipping from his hands. Remaining calm was one thing - accepting this entirely another. His metal fingers clicked against the surface of the table as he turned towards Levi. "One more insult, and I'll have you chained to a wall, food forced down your throat." His gaze was hard, unforgiving; this time there were no superfluous, sadistic descriptions - but a simple, honest threat. To let him live here might have been a mistake - he clearly did not appreciate the comforts offered. So if he dared spit out another insult, no matter how petty or ridiculous, Erwin would haul him down to the basement levels by the throat and leave him there to think for a bit. "Is that understood, _vessel_?" the last was little more than a hiss, Erwin's teeth clicking together as he closed his mouth to wait for a reply.  
\---  
Sensitive topic that, was it? Had he struck a nerve? There was a small gleam of triumph in Levi's eyes, yet it disappeared at once as the threats started coming, and Levi could not help but shrink back slightly. That would give him even less chance of escaping, and he had very little doubt that Erwin wouldn't follow through and do exactly what he said he would. He'd seen him do worse already, after all.

Levi opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again, giving one stiff nod of his head while holding back every curse and hint at how he wanted to throw himself forward and wrap his fingers - or the rope left on the bedside table - around the vampire's neck and squeeze the life out of him. Though he doubted that was possible, unfortunately. What was it they did in the stories - a stake through the heart? Maybe he could manage to break one of the legs off the table, once Erwin had left. For now though, he lowered his gaze, mostly so Erwin wouldn't see the hate and defiance there and decide it was enough insult to go through with his threat.  
\---  
That got to him. Perhaps Erwin should be more realistic and direct in his threats from now on. Or even drag him down there and chain him up without further explaining? He could do that - but it seemed the other was quite aware of his ability to, and that was really all that he needed. "I shall pretend you asked me in a polite and respectful manner, then, vessel." His form of address was anything but that - but they were not equals, and they would not ever be. "I was human once, yes, as were we all. Short-sighted and rash, before I turned, just like the rest." A sigh, the soft click of his watch as he opened and closed it. "Some sun will do you good. Pull away the curtains." It was as much of a test as an order... And perhaps he enjoyed this game a bit, too.  
\---  
Levi stiffened, shoulders tense, and it took every ounce of willpower he had not to retort with something every bit as disrespectful as what Erwin was saying. Oh, he was allowed to insult humans and everything about them, but not the other way around? And then he had the audacity to-- no. Levi might not be there of his own free will, but neither was he a slave, and he was not going to let Erwin use him as one if there was another choice available. He had servants for that.

He swallowed, taking a few seconds before he said anything, making sure his voice was as calm and steady as he could make it and keeping his eyes lowered. "I am not-- your slave. Don't treat me as one." At any moment, he expected to feel those unrelenting metal fingers close around his throat, and then all chance of freedom would be lost, if it wasn't already. But while Levi was used to taking shit from people who considered themselves above him, he had very, very rarely let it pass, and he wasn't going to let it now either, no matter how afraid he might be.  
\---  
It was no insult per se; but rarely did those who made the rules have to follow them. This needed not be an exception. He rose, motions slow and predatory as he approached the other. "Do I need to repeat myself? Just before it seemed quite clear." His hand clicked gently, cogs turning, tugging on wire connected to a spring, the polished metal of his fingers curling lightly. "Do these look like a slave's quarters? Did that taste like a slave's breakfast? You wouldn't have lasted a day in their shoes, vessel. Or lack of them. It is a simple enough task; obey." He had approached, but stilled slowly, gazing down on Levi , cold eyes once again blue.  
\---  
His heartbeat raced at once, hands curling in his lap and body tensing, ready to spring into a battle he surely would lose and end up hurt in. He'd not been this scared of anyone in a very long time, and it was certainly not pleasant. But slowly, he raised his head, forcing his eyes to steadily meet the other's - and finding them a little less scary now when they weren't red, more human. Maybe he could fool himself into pretending Erwin was.

But no - not with that hand and the sounds it made, every little click and movement startling Levi enough to either twitch or blink, wanting to turn to it and keep track of what exactly it was doing. But he didn't. Instead, he turned away completely, slipped off the bed and went over to the window - chain clinking gently with every other step - and sharply tugged the curtains apart before he returned to the bed, trembling slightly with quiet rage as sunlight flooded the room. But the sooner Erwin was satisfied and left, the sooner Levi would be able to try and break that table apart and get himself a stake.  
\---  
Victory at last. Erwin's voice sounded sarcastic even in his own head - he was cowed for now, frightened into obeying that particular order, and while it was an improvement, Erwin did not doubt he would try to run as soon as he saw an opportunity. This room had held hundreds of people - but this was a thief, too. He would keep the hounds alert - and the dogs, too. Not that they were much different - his youngest vampires, turned just very recently, had that function. Find and retrieve, keep watch and serve, and in return receive knowledge, experience, protection and morsels from the higher-ranked's table. More than that - they drank as much as they needed. He had no us for weakened vampires. But they kept order by the way of a strict chain of command - not out of cruelty, but necessity.

"Save me the trouble next time", said Erwin, gazing down on Levi. "If you always surrender as soon as I move a finger, defiance is merely a waste of time." And so was this - he had better things to do. "Behave. I'll be back later."


	5. Chapter 5

Levi kept his head down, knowing he would most likely lose his temper if he looked up, and he could not afford that now. Erwin's words left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he  _hadn't_ surrendered, if the vampire had only known what he was planning... Of course, such thoughts were only to help him through with some pride left. Oh, he'd break the table, alert someone back with the noise and hope it was Erwin, who most likely had the key to the chain around his ankle, stab him with the stake and hope it worked, find the key and then be off. But that was all he had, and he knew it was foolish to even begin to think it would actually work. But it was his only chance, and so he would take it.

He bowed his head down further, not quite a nod but close enough, and then stayed that way until he heard the vampire leave and the locks clicking. Then he was up on his feet at once, dragging the blanket with him to the floor and as quietly as possible moving the chain to rest on top of it so that it would make less noise as he moved about. He didn't know how good a vampire's hearing was, but if they could smell blood, their other senses would probably be better than a human's as well. He pulled on his old waistcoat from yesterday and stepped into his shoes, then went over to the table to gently tip it on its side and lift it. One deep breath, and then he slammed it to the floor with all his strength, and there was a deafening but very satisfying sound of wood breaking as the two legs closest to the floor snapped. He'd done it now, and there was absolutely no going back.

The impromptu stakes were jagged and uneven at the broken end, but certainly sharp enough to pierce skin, and Levi took a hold of them both as he moved to stand just beside the door, no longer bothering to silence the sound the chain made, since the breaking table had probably been audible to the whole mansion. He leaned back against the wall for a moment, fear making his head spin, but determination keeping him going, unable to not think that he would most likely be dead in maybe about a minute, but then at least he'd tried.

\---

The lock closed with a satisfying click; the vessel was properly subdued for now. Not as much as he would have preferred, but it was a temporary solution. Just long enough for his blood to clean out. Hanji, however... They were not leaving any time soon, and so he would have to speak to them. Disagreeing in private and disobeying in public were two very different things. And Erwin, whose rule over his branch of vampires was already somewhat unconventional, could not afford having his authority undermined in such trivial matters. "Hanji", he addressed them firmly, gesturing sharply for them to follow as he passed their office, the door open as always. 

Mike had given up hope of tricking Nanaba back into bed. He had dressed, gazing shamelessly at her as she did the same; in more practical trousers and shirt, now that no guests were around. He certainly didn't mind seeing the way the trousers clung to her ass - and she indulged him sometimes, when she felt playful. This morning she seemed to have little patience for it, however - and so he left her alone. But just as he passed through the corridor, there was a horrible crash - from the guest room. Had Erwin tired of the defiant thief already? He was near a chuckle, but then he glanced towards the door - only to find it locked from the outside. Had he breached the window? Fuck. He slammed his fist into the door to alert the other of his presence. "What are you doing? Fuck-- Erwin!"

\---

Hanji was sitting at the top of their desk as Erwin passed, and they didn't need to look up to know that he was telling them to follow. They rolled their eyes, but put down the book and hurried to catch up up with him. They had some respect for him, certainly, he was the oldest out of all of them except Mike, and exceptionally strong and powerful. They would never step over than invincible line that would make him their enemy, but neither was they afraid to push the limits once in a while, because they had faith enough in him to believe he wouldn't kill them. Killing a vampire took a lot of effort, even for another vampire, and Erwin knew they were so much more valuable to him alive. "I only gave him the tiniest drop of blood to avoid an infection, it wasn't enough to make him stronger or anything like that, I made sure of it... You've no right to chastise me for it, and I just--" They fell quickly silent at the crash, coming to an abrupt stop, eyes questioning on the other vampire. But when they heard Mike, they couldn't help but grin, just a little. "Oh, I rather like him. Please don't kill him yet, I'd like just a tiny taste of that spirit of his..."

Wrong dog. Levi clenched his teeth together, pushing himself further against the wall, forcing himself to breathe evenly and remain calm-- he was calling for Erwin, it would all work out. He had two stakes, he could take two vampires, couldn't he? But that was a bit too optimistic, he had to admit, but there was no going back now. He remained close to the wall, silent and refusing to answer Mike's question.

\---

"The amount of blood is entirely irrelevant - it is the principle, Hanji, and you  _know_  that--" he stopped just as abruptly, turning with a furious look towards the way they had just walked down. "The little--" 

No matter how annoyed with Hanji, he did not for a moment hesitate to turn his back towards them as he moved, steps long and deliberate, back towards the guest room. Oh, he would fucking drain him, no matter the taste. Such utter disrespect - it was unbelievable. But Mike was here, gesturing  _I don't know_  with a hand still on the handle. Erwin plucked the key from his pocket, pushing it into the lock but not turning it just yet. Damn it, they should have put him in the basement right away! Had he escaped? It was much too quiet. "Vessel", he hissed through the door, mechanic hand denting the handle of the door. "This is the last  _fucking_  drop." The key turned, and Erwin all but slammed the door open in his haste.

\---

Levi waited, and he did not have to wait long. He tensed as he heard the key slide into the door, forced himself away from the wall to stand at the ready, stakes held steady, one in each hand. Such a clumsy weapon-- could it really be more effective than a knife? But it made just about as much sense as these vampires and everything about them did, so just maybe it was worth a try. He flinched slightly at Erwin's sudden hiss, but then only grasped the stake tighter, tensing, ready to lunge forward as soon as that door opened. He knew it was his first, last and only chance, he didn't need some fucking leech telling him.

The door slammed open, and Levi barely bothered looking up to confirm that it was Erwin-- but it was, and both Michael and Hanji was behind him, and that was one more vampire than he had any hopes of taking down. But he was small and fast, and still didn't hesitate before he plunged the stake into Erwin's chest where his heart should be - because if this was it, he sure as hell was going to go down fighting, and not cowering on a bed while taking orders from a bloodsucker.

\---

He should have known it. As soon as he had opened the door, time seemed to slow down for a moment; there was a flash of motion, dark wood in Levi's hand - far more clever than he had expected. A makeshift stake, sharp and wood and aimed for his heart. Erwin moved, mechanic hand curling into a fist aimed at Levi's temple, but he wasn't quick enough, not quite, and wood pierced skin, drew blood, and-- 

A heavy weight slammed into his side, and Erwin crashed into the wall as Mike surged forward. The stake, thrust forward with considerable force, slid along his rib, dislodged as Mike and then Hanji jumped the thief.

\---

He didn't even have time to use the other stake. There was blood, of that much he was certain, before Michael crashed into him, huge and impossibly strong, while two smaller but no less strong hands grabbed for his wrist and twisted it until the other stake clattered to the floor. But Hanji didn't stop, their fingertips digging into skin with frightening expertise, nudging and pressing against bone. And then there was only pain, white-hot and blinding, all the way from his fingertips to his shoulder. He cried out, his back hitting the floor, eyes tearing slightly as Hanji still held his wrist, but much lighter now, and yet with their fingers prodding very gently in just the right places for the pain to never fade. It was absolutely nothing short of torture, but Levi certainly got the hint, and stopped struggling, his quick breathing, faint trembling and racing heartbeat the only movement he made.

\---

It hurt - it hurt like  _fuck_ , and Erwin knew that had been far too close, too dangerous. The wound, an open gash across his heart, bled sluggishly, but pain seated through him in waves. Nausea hit him, and for a moment he had to still, mechanic hand curling around the doorframe, splitting wood under the force of his grip. Hanji had him-- clever, brilliant Hanji - and Mike stood by, fuming with anger. No doubt had the second stake been intended for another one of them - two of them might have died, here, at the hands of a thief. 

His flesh hand ran over the wound, where blood had spilled out over his shirt. He had the guts to-- there hadn't been a plan behind this, had there? A whim, a spur of the moment? A sudden, throaty laugh escaped him as he glanced down at Levi where he lay under Hanji's grip. "Fuck", he hissed, for a moment at a loss for words. "You have some guts."

\---

Levi expected to be killed at any second, or at least hit unconscious, but he was evidently not getting away that easily, and a part of him was a little grateful for it, because he wanted to live, something that should be very obvious to them all at that point. But another part of him was starting to wish for an end to it, and Hanji's incessant prodding at his dislocated wrist certainly didn't make things better. A quiet whimper and a slight push against their other hand where it rested over his throat earned him another, tighter squeeze around his wrist; and he gasped and let his hand fall back to the floor beside him.  _Fuck_ \-- he hated them all.

But he looked up as Erwin spoke, watching the blood that had spilled down his shirt and waistcoat, dark red against blue, and he felt some satisfaction. The vampire was clearly shaken - perhaps stakes really did work and he'd just barely missed the heart? - much more than he had been when stabbed with the knife the night before. "I won't surrender." he mumbled, as Hanji's fingers stilled for a while, letting him speak without those small gasps of pain, but always ready to tighten their grip again should Levi say something they considered inappropriate. "And certainly not to you."

\---

"Hold him, Mike", ordered Erwin almost gently, nodding to Levi's free hand. "Better to let Hanji use their expertise", he said, breathing slightly unsteady due to the pain, the stake far too close to his heart. A little blood, soiled or not, would help with the damage. And far more important, it was an unmistakable sign of power. The thief blabbered on, big words and fancy phrases he wouldn't live up to in the end, and Erwin kicked him almost casually in the side to shut him up. Hanji held one hand in a seemingly quite terrible grip, Mike pushed down on the other. And Erwin, with slow and deliberate motions, knelt down to straddle Levi's thighs. He was small, wasn't he? It would be a bit tricky to get to his throat properly. By now, he was sure even the vessel had understood his intentions. He grasped his hair in his left hand, wrenching it to the side.  

"Surrender", he said slowly, as if tasting the word. "No, you're not ready for that quite yet. But I don't need your surrender now, vessel." Cold metal fingers trailed down the line of his bared throat, squeezing briefly, testing his pulse. "I only need to feed." And so he leaned forward, licking briefly over his throat before viciously sinking his fangs into the vulnerable flesh.

\---

For once short, confused moment Levi wondered who Mike was; then Michael grabbed his arm and held it steadily to the floor, and Levi stopped wondering. The kick to his side had him curling up slightly in an instinctive move to protect himself, but there was nowhere to go, Hanji's hand leaving his throat to push against his shoulder instead, and there was Erwin, kneeling down, getting closer, pinning him to the floor. For a moment, Levi stopped breathing, then twisted wildly against the others hold, pain in his wrist be damned, and for a few seconds he seemed to forget that they were all so much stronger than he was, that he might as well have pushed against rock for all the good it did. There was a hiss from Hanji, terrifying and animalistic as they dug their fingers into his wrist, at the same time as Erwin grabbed at his hair and forced his head to the side, and Levi could do nothing but whimper at the pain, breathing quick and uneven as cold dread settled over him. He was going to end up like that woman, he knew it as soon as he felt those metal fingers against his throat, shuddering as they squeezed tighter, and then closing his eyes as Erwin leaned down, not wanting to watch.

A tongue at first, brief but no less unwelcome, obscene and so misplaced and seemingly intimate that Levi tried to shudder away from it, but it was gone just as quickly, replaced by the vampire's oddly cold breath for but a second or two, and then came the dreaded fangs. It was every bit as painful as he had imagined it to be, the searing like tiny knives piercing flesh at first the only thing he could feel. But then as he actually became aware of that Erwin was indeed drinking from him; big, long gulps of blood leaving his body-- then the slight lightheadedness set in at once, and all his thoughts seemed to come to an abrupt stop. Maybe it was shock that did it, but he had no idea how much time had passed - mere seconds or several minutes? - before he slowly parted his lips, opening his eyes just a little but unable to focus on anything, and then letting out a small, weak sound of protest. "Stop..."

\---

It was an undeniable thrill; the defiant thief, and attempted murderer, flat on the floor beneath him, with nowhere to escape. He could struggle, but they held him - he could not even kick, with Erwin straddling his thighs. It was obscene, his vulnerability - almost intimate. Fangs buried deep, he waited for only a moment before he took the first swallow. The blood tasted bitter, sour - none of the deep, sweet metallic taste of healthy blood. But beneath it - beneath the bitterness was a strength, a potential - like a winemaker could taste a grape and tell it would make a great wine if given a few years in a cellar, the thief tasted as if he could be quite a good meal. But it would only take days, rather than years, in the cellar. 

And so, having had the taste of that potential, he took another swallow, and another. Originally he had intended merely a couple, to show his power - but now he became lost in a greedy haze, drinking more and more. It was not until he heard that voice, a weak little "stop", that he became aware of his actions. How much had he drained? Not more than that he could still speak. He bit down harder to retaliate against the defiance - and he took another swallow before he pulled back. But he had been careless, and Levi bled still, wasting blood. In a spur of the moment, he slid his flesh fingers through the wound on his own chest, smearing a bit of his own blood across the bite marks.

\---

The razors dug deeper into his skin, and Levi gasped between clenched teeth while any further protest died in his throat. Another swallow - he really was going to drain him dry, wasn't he? - and then he pulled away. Levi didn't move as Erwin's hand released his hair, barely stirred as something cold was smeared across his neck that he didn't want to know what it was. But he could guess, as the slight stinging stopped, and the lingering nausea rose in his throat. Filthy blood, even if a vampire's couldn't carry disease, Levi still found it disgusting.

Hanji's fingers pressed against his wrist again; Levi only twitched and gasped as whatever bone they had dislodged earlier was pushed back into its right place, too exhausted to cry out. There was also a slight numbness to his hands and feet that probably helped with lessening the pain, and his brain seemed to work much slower than usual. They let go of his hand then, seemingly very confident in that Levi was too drained to put up any resistance, and they were quite right. He only moved his arm slowly to rest over his chest in a protective manner, head still turned to the side as Erwin had left it, eyes open but unfocused. Was it the next vampire's turn now?

\---

Messy. Levi's throat was smeared with blood, and a few droplets had escaped Erwin's lips. He licked them from the corners of his mouth - soiled it might be, by he wouldn't waste it for that. At last the fight was gone from him. Of course, he would regain his strength with time, but perhaps by them he would have learned his lesson. It had been an especially stupid, daring move - no plan, complete disregard for that there might be more than two of them. He had fought like a cornered animal - desperate and clinging to his last hope, last wish for revenge. 

But now? Now he didn't even move his head. A deliberate signal, or merely fatigue? He couldn't quite tell. Perhaps it was both. He stood, stepping back from where Levi lay. "Take him down under ground, then. No windows, no furniture." Mike nodded, and Erwin glanced over his shoulder to where Nanaba had appeared in the doorway. She had seen, then, when he had fed - but not intervened. Good. "And - his blood is mine."

\---

Levi heard the disappointed hum from Hanji at Erwin's order, and despair and hopelessness seemed to make his limbs even heavier. Even if he had managed to take down Erwin, there would be another vampire waiting, eager to drink him dry in the other ones place. He couldn't win, he was only human, and-- oh. It was as crazy a plan as the one he'd just attempted, risky and terrible, but so was everything about his situation, so why the hell not. He had no idea of how it worked, of course, but if he could talk any one of them into turning him, he might become just as strong, perhaps even faster than any of them. And there had to be another option to drinking blood, he might not have to kill, not like these vampires did... It was a desperate plan, and Levi was quite aware of that he might not be entirely able to think clearly at the moment, but he wasn't going to ask any of them to make him a vampire now either. To soon.

The chain was removed from his ankle, and Mike was lifting him off the floor, cradling him almost gently in his big arms as he was carried through corridors and down stairs. Levi felt cold, and there was no warmth to be found in the vampire's arms, and neither in the cellar where Mike put him down on a mattress on the floor. No simple bed of hay, at least, though neither was the mattress particularly thick or soft either. A chain was fastened around his wrist, much shorter than the one in the other room, and Mike brushed over his other, slightly swollen wrist before he left it alone. Levi barely noticed as he left, closing the door behind him and leaving him in darkness, and Levi curled up to find some warmth, closing his eyes as it made no difference whether he kept them open or not.

\---

"Leave him there for a day at least", mused Erwin. "Before anyone visits. Humans can survive without food for a week, and he has eaten enough for three men this very morning. But still, he needs to be kept alive, because I'm going to drain him." A mirthless chuckle. "A mouthful each day, until it goes too bland. Wouldn't that be nice, hmm?" Nanaba glanced at him, then towards the window. "He's yours", she agreed vaguely. "Do wih him as you wish." Not challenge nor open disagreement, but her neutrality alone spoke volumes. Erwin wasn't one to disregard the opinions of his subordinates, but with splinters from the makeshift stake still in his open wound, his table broken, having lost control as he drank - Erwin was not in the best of moods. 

"Have this cleaned up, then. Replace the table, I don't ever want to see it again. I'll be in my study." He left, steps quick, ears only barely detecting Hanji's sigh from behind him. Their steps caught up with his soon enough - their finer medical tools in hand. Splinters needed to be plucked out after all; and what had happened before was suddenly entirely forgotten.

\---

Minutes passed, then slowly turned to hours. Levi had no way to tell how much time that passed, if it was day or night, unable to see even his hand in front of his face, only hear his breathing and soft tinkling of the chain whenever he moved his hand. He tried hard not to fall asleep, afraid his heart would give up and stop trying to pump what little blood he had left through his body. His breathing was much heavier than it should have been, he was terribly thirsty, and his hands and feet still very cold. He thought of the vampires, of whom to ask about making him one of them, because he could certainly not ask Erwin. Hanji clearly wanted his blood too, not to mention they were every bit as terrifying as Erwin, so he didn't want to ask them either. One of the servants would probably be best, but if none of them came down to visit, Mike or Nanaba would have to do as well. There was always a chance that they would refuse and go tell Erwin what he'd said, but that was a risk he would have to take. If he could just be convincing enough, act like he wanted their powers not to kill them, but to work for them, then perhaps...

He eventually drifted off anyway, unable to help it, and was as dead for many hours, not even waking as the door was opened and someone entered. Not until there was a firm, big hand at his shoulder did he startle awake, flinching away at once and pressing himself against the wall. He felt terrible, almost sick, cold and with his throat dry, arms trembling as he pushed against the mattress to sit up. It was Mike, big and scary and strong and barely visible in the faint light of the lantern he'd brought, but he was holding out a big glass of water, and Levi only hesitated a moment before he took it, brought it to his lips and drank as deep as Erwin had done from him. There was bread on a plate, coarse but buttered and with cheese, and Levi was suddenly starving. But he still remembered his plan, and so kept some manners, eating slowly and with his head lowered as he dared to speak, voice hoarse from sleep and exhaustion. But that was just as well, just in case these creatures had any conscience, him coming off as pitiful would only be a good thing, and he was becoming desperate enough to abandon all pride. "Can't you turn me into a vampire instead of killing me? I could work for you - for him - but I don't want to die."

\---

A day at least; Mike had waited. He was experienced enough to know that the thief would most likely survive - Erwin had not drunk that deeply - but the cell was cold, and his body small. But the next morning came, and Erwin's wound healed nicely with some assistance from Hanji's tools, and simple alcohol to clean it, in order to speed up the process. But he was angry still; enough that they took care not to annoy him further. And so Mike had not asked explicit permission to visit the prisoner, or to feed him - it had been somewhat implied. So he fetched a pitcher of water, something simple and sturdy to eat that wouldn't be too hard on his stomach. No luxuries, either; he did this out of pity rather than care. After all, that second stake had likely been intended for him. But as completely helpless this one was, he couldn't help but feel for him a little. He had always had a soft spot; throughout the years he had taken in stray dogs, who in the end always proved to be most loyal. And now, the thief would be weak as a kitten.

He slept, but evidently not very deeply - a single touch woke him, and he shied away like a frightened colt. He was eager to drink, though - Mike crouched down in front of him, not too eager to dirty up his clothes. He set the empty glass down and reached for the bread, and Mike silently refilled it as he watched him eat - with surprising neatness. Making himself smaller - he was good, brilliant really, but Mike had seen this so many times before. He wasn't terribly surprised. "A vampire? My, my." He sighed. "You must understand-- you attempted the slaying of one of the most powerful Lords of England. Trust would not come easily to him."

\---

Levi kept eating, eager but still moderately slow - and grateful for the refilled glass, he reached for it and drank some more. He glanced up only briefly before he lowered his gaze again, and there was certainly no need to act scared and cautious, because he was. He might have forced himself to meet the other's gaze if he'd felt any need to show defiance, but he found it much easier to remain curled up protectively against the wall with as much distance between them as possible. But Mike would need even more convincing, it seemed.

"I just thought-- since I understand that you can't release me now when I know so much about you, making me one of you would ensure that I wouldn't tell anyone or-- or left the only other vampires I know to exist in the world. There would be no need for trust, because I wouldn't know where else to go." Bullshit, of course. Levi was just blabbering, making things up as he went along - the hesitation was real, but the uncertainty and pitifulness was mostly an act - because he was fairly convinced he could handle being a little bit stronger and powerful all of a sudden, if the only thing he would have to worry about were wooden stakes. And then he would escape, kill Erwin and maybe the others as well, before getting the hell out of there. And being a vampire would certainly help in his thievery.

\---

"For one who only yesterday doubted that we were real, you seem to know quite a lot about us." His tone was mildly amused, but with an underlying firm tone. He wasn't here to make a friend of the thief. "Few would listen to one such as you. If you had proven to be cooperative in the beginning, or at least not stupid enough to attempt murder - well, you might have been in a position to ask. Now, though?" He sighed, tilting his head slightly to the side. "It is a pity. You have spirit, and swiftness matched by few. But he is quite intent on draining you, now."

"He won't trust you not to attempt another murder, if we keep you here. But even if I could turn you by my own hand, it is not my right to do. It would be his, and no one else's. I don't think that holds the same appeal, does it?" A tiny smile, another splash of water into the glass. "Perhaps I can speak to him. But excpect nothing but another bite; and don't fucking try to murder him this time."

\---

It wasn't going as well as Levi wanted it to, but he should probably be getting used to that by now. He shook his head, opening his mouth to disagree, but coming up with nothing good to say. Mike's words made sense, from the vampires' perspective, as much as Levi hated to admit it. And he was right; though Levi didn't know how getting turned worked, he didn't want to even be in the same room as Erwin ever again if he could avoid it. But-- "It holds more appeal than dying, still." he mumbled, words more bitter now, and entirely truthful. His fingers curled again around the glass, though not before Mike had pulled back from it, always remaining cautious, which wasn't much of an act either, as much as he would have wished it to be. But better to show respect than defiance, he figured. "I won't-- I can't, can I? I've realised as much, and I won't try again." But he would, once he was one of them. "I won't-- tell him that. I'd do... almost anything." He gritted his teeth, voice bordering on desperate now. The act was too easy, and he hated it.

\---

At least that was truth. He wanted to live - Mike could respect that. Understand it. But to offer to do "almost anything" was amusing in itself - so transparent. There was no desperation yet, or at least not enough to overrule the man's pride. He wanted to bargain, even though he had nothing, not even loyalty, to offer in return. But he was harmless, now - it would be better to let Erwin speak to him alone. "No matter if you can or not - if you attempt that one more time, I will personally take great satisfaction in your painful, eventual death. Erwin is my closest friend; and he has more than me." A wry little smile, and he plucked the empty glass from Levi's hand. "As long as you behave, however, we won't have a problem. I shall see if he wants to talk to you." He placed the last piece of bread in Levi's hand, taking the plate, glass and pitcher with him. 

It was not until perhaps an hour later that Erwin opened the door to the room Levi currently- occupied. He was alone - merely a show of control - and silently leaned against the doorframe, pale light spilling inside from the corridor. He didn't say a word.

\---

Mike might have seemed kind, coming down here with food and listening to what he had to say - and Levi remembered how he had spared his swollen wrist from the second cuff when he'd left him in the cellar at first - but those words of his were a terrible reminder of that he had no allies here, and no pity to be found. Had all his acting, as well as the effort to not act for once, been completely wasted, then? Had he shown himself weak and pathetic for nothing? He glared at the floor, then flinched back as Mike took the glass from him, cursing quietly at his own reaction. But of course - a broken glass could be a weapon, though if knives and stakes didn't work, Levi couldn't really see a point in trying. With some slight effort, he could get out of the shackle around his wrist too, but there was no point in that, either. He took the bread though, holding on to it as the room was once again plunged into darkness as Mike left, eating slowly as he waited.

He was curled up on the mattress again once the door was unlocked, and Levi quickly sat up, what little colour he had left draining from his face at the sight of Erwin's looming shadow, lit up from behind so that he couldn't see his face. The silence stretched on while Levi tried to push away the fear and come up with something good to say. Was he supposed to ask him now? Had Mike told him what he'd said? Was he there to speak with him, or-- Levi shuddered, then hurried to speak. "I know I have nothing to bargain with, and I know I've tried to murder you twice now, but I did it for a reason. I want to live. There's no way for me to win against any of you, and I won't try again. But I'm good at working for people, so couldn't I work for you? As a vampire?" It was the ramblings of a desperate man, and yet he couldn't quite bring himself to beg even as he thought about it. Maybe that was what Erwin wanted, maybe the fear wasn't enough.

\---

"He lies", Mike had said, "and he is a good liar. He underestimates me, but with you he likely won't hold back. He - he wants to be turned, Erwin. Likely he knows nothing of what that entails, except for strength, the heightened senses." Erwin had looked at him in slight disbelief - even now, he wanted to be turned? Clearly he had no idea what he was dealing with. He wanted to come out of this alive, and escape Erwin - did he not realise being turned would mean the exact opposite? Clearly he did not. But Erwin thanked his friend, and promptly went back to work for a while. Let him wait for a bit longer - it would do the thief good. 

But the thought of him asking to be turned wouldn't quite leave his mind. As he wrote and sorted, filed old letters and addressed new ones, his thoughts were time upon time drawn to Levi. And so he went , earlier than he had meant to go, down the stairs to the basement. 

The thief did not speak right away. And when he did, he seemed nervous, hurried, not having thought things through. But the message was clear - he hoped for this last way out. "You want to be turned", said Erwin. "You despise us even as you know nothing about us, and now you want to become one of us. Not wanting to die is a valid reason, but as far as I know - you are of more use as a simple vessel than one in my ranks."

\---

Levi was so used to speaking his mind without having to worry about the consequences, or at least when he couldn't, to have a story to use as he lied his way through a noble's dinner - here he had none of that confidence and safety. There were plenty of consequences should he say exactly what he thought to Erwin, and fear prevented him from doing it in the first place, and there were no false identities, nothing at all to hide behind. But at least Erwin listened, and answered, without any immediate threats, and so Levi would continue to argue, even while desperately trying to not say anything that would anger the other further. And not once did he look up, but rather seemed to address Erwin's feet as he spoke. "Why? How do you know--" No, too disrespectful; Levi pressed himself closer to the wall at once and backtracked, starting over. "As a vessel, won't I only be of use until you've-- drained me? But as a vampire, I could work for you for years to come."

\---

He liked this far better. He wasn't quite desperate yet, but he had clearly realised he had little to bargain with, and spoke accordingly. Erwin mouth curled into something like a smile, though it did not quite reach his eyes. This was only a small victory. "I could make you last for years if I only drank a little each day." It was said as a fact rather than a threat, but he knew Levi would take it for what it was. "But you consider your services to be worth more than a little drink of blood each day?" He was quick, after all, and clever. Erwin would have to keep him on a short leash, correct every error, tame him entirely. Of course the bond between vampire and turned human was a strong one; and with his power, his experience, he would easily be able to keep him under control. He had turned only few himself - Mike, Nanaba and Hanji he had met later, and they had sworn loyalty, exchanged blood as was proper. He would taste them, sometimes - a little drink, a reminder and a reassurance. But if he turned Levi, the man would be subject to any and all of his commands. In the haze that would follow the exchange, Levi's mind would be pliable, easily affected. 

It was not until now that Erwin realised he had all but accepted the offer. His thoughts had strayed, and suddenly it did seem a better option. Perhaps it was. "Can you walk", he said, only half a question. "Or do you need to be carried like an infant?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter justifies the warning for explicit violence; be warned. Also a terrible, terrible joke to celebrate a thousand hits! We love you all <3

Years, he said, and Levi could imagine it painfully clearly all of a sudden; years of darkness in this pitch black cellar, of constant cold and weakness, and he started shaking his head, a look of despair on his face as he suddenly almost did feel ready to beg. But Erwin continued, sounding like he was just maybe considering it after all, and Levi stilled, nodding just once. "Yes. I'm-- a good fighter. And a thief, as you know. When I gave you the name of my employer, you said you wanted the others to bring him to you. I could do things like that."

There was silence for a while longer, and Levi kept his head down, waiting in silence and absolute stillness. But as Erwin spoke again, Levi blinked, and then quickly looked up. Was it-- was he agreeing? Would he make him a vampire? There was no way to tell. But carried - by Erwin - no. He might just rather crawl. Quickly, he shook his head, and then struggled to his feet with support from the wall, cursing the tinkling of the chain, because it meant Erwin would have to come closer anyway to remove it. Levi felt mostly stiff from the cold, perhaps a little dizzy, and while he was in no condition to fight, he should be able to walk on his own. It was just as well, perhaps, since Erwin would have absolutely nothing to fear.  
\---  
Good choice. Erwin would not much have liked to take on a weakling. Determination was critical - and this will to live would be needed to stay sane throughout the night. The sky was clear, and the moon near full. It was an excellent night to turn him, if he decided to. Nothing was given yet, of course. But the thief stood, if on trembling legs, and Erwin moved forward with no regard for the other's fright. Three steps, and he was by Levi, grabbing his arm with his left, while the right undid the cuff. He let it fall to the ground, and shoved Levi towards the exit. The human would walk in front, of course - Erwin would not let him out of sight. He didn't bother warning him about running - the thief wouldn't be able to if he so tried. He was weak but determined - Erwin encouraged him with a shove there, an order there. Weakness was unacceptable in a vampire. Not once did he let Levi rest - not until they entered another room, and Erwin locked the door behind them.  
\---  
Somehow, Levi managed not to flinch back as Erwin came closer, not even when he grabbed him, though he was tense with fear, eyes turned away from the metal hand. He stumbled as he was suddenly shoved forward, and for one horrible moment he thought he was going to fall, but then found his balance and remained upright, teeth clenched, glad for the anger now, using it to keep going rather than let Erwin see it. He was somewhat jumpy with the vampire walking behind him where he couldn't see him, but concentrated on moving forward rather than on what the other was doing, forcing himself through corridors and dragging himself up stairs. He got tired so very quickly, lightheaded and exhausted enough that he could feel his hands and legs trembling, but he didn't stop, didn't allow himself to. Not until they entered a room and he heard the click of the lock did he turn to look at Erwin, breathing heavy and uneven, heartbeat quick. "How does it work?" he dared to ask, trying not to sound like he was starting to have second thoughts. And even if he was-- well, he really had no other choice than this.  
\---  
Erwin grinned then, baring his fangs. "You ask that now, thief?" He stepped forward again, reaching for Levi's throat again with his flesh hand, though this time his grip was not cruel or constricting, merely a firm hold. Unrelenting, controlling, but probably not painful. "I'll drink again", he said, amused with the irony. "I will drink until you are on the very verge of death, and then I will feed you my blood, to tie you to me. You will be under my control, thiefling." His metal hand slid down, tapping Levi's chest, right above his beating heart. "This will stop. What little blood you have left will run cold. You will not ever hunger as you have before, but thirst for blood." This would be a lot to take in, for one who had known nothing of vampires before. Perhaps he should set it in easier terms. "Humans fear us, though vampire slayers are few and far between. After this, you won't be one of them, ever again. See - they are the prey." A little chuckle - for this was a far better revenge than drinking him dry. "And we, the hunters."  
\---  
Levi knew as soon as he saw the sharp grin on the vampire's face that he wouldn't like what came next, though he admittedly preferred thief to vessel. As Erwin reached out, he started to lean away, but not quickly, resigned as he was to the fact that resistance would do him little good. But he did flinch in the other's hold as he explained, one hand reaching up to grasp his wrist as if he could actually wrench it away. Absolutely everything about what Erwin said was wrong. Levi had imagined vampire blood to be involved in it somehow, but not that he would be close to drained, and certainly not that he would be beneath anyone once he was one of them. How the hell was he supposed to kill Erwin if he was under his control, and what kind of bullshit magic was that anyway? He flinched back again as the metal fingers touched him, eyes a little wider with fear. "What do you mean? Vampires doesn't get to keep their free will?" There had to be a way around it, considering neither Erwin, Mike, Nanaba or Hanji seemed to be mindless slaves. But perhaps whoever had turned them had been killed, or allowed them to think for themselves for one reason or another. The two choices he had was starting to look equally bad, except that he would certainly live longer as a vampire than as a human in Erwin's company. So then perhaps being turned would simply be the lesser of two evils. And surely, there were plenty of people who wanted someone like Erwin dead who would succeed in killing him one day, even if he would be unable to do it. To hell with it all.

He looked away, leaning his head just slightly to the side, voice quiet, a little strained. What if Erwin drank just a little bit too much? "Do it then."  
\---  
His hand grasped Erwin's, though there was no resistance. Erwin could accept that - this process would be painful enough without allowing him some small comforts. He looked frightened, now - far more so than before. Perhaps he should not have gone into such detail - but the thief had asked for it, and there was no turning back now. Levi's eyes widened, Erwin's grin grew. Oh, but this was delicious. Soiled blood or no, he would drink it. "Free will?" A breathless little laugh. "Does it seem as if my actions are directed by another?" He could feel the scent of his blood, almost hear the quickened heart - only a few moments longer, and he would drink. "Of course you will be able to think, act and feel. But one step out of line, and I will be able to bring you back with a single word. Like a good little dog, hmm, thief?" He shifted his grip, pressing his thumb to the vein there.

But the man tilted his head to the side, a clear offering, and Erwin's mouth went dry. It was so blatant, so clear a surrender, that it was hard not to simply bite down and drink. He loosened his grip in reward for the offered surrender, trailing his fingers lightly over bared skin. Then, curling his arm around Levi, he swept him back towards the bed. Erwin sat down, placing Levi between his spread thighs, the smaller man's back to his chest. Almost, deceptively gently he caught Levi's wrists in his flesh hand, while the other held his head tilted to the side. He licked over the wound gently, giving him time to relax, soothing his nerves - hopefully. It would hurt enough later on - this needn't be more painful than strictly necessary. "Hush, now", he murmured gently, sharp fangs sliding across vulnerable skin. "Just relax." And with that he bit - though this time his fangs slid slowly into Levi's throat, as painless as he could make it.  
\---  
That wasn't much different from his current situation, really. Fear kept him in line now, it would evidently keep doing it once he was a vampire, only then he would be harder to kill. Unless Erwin ordered him to kill himself-- but no, it couldn't work like that. He didn't want to be a mindless dog. He wouldn't be. Even now, this was his choice, and he had to hold on to that small victory, and pretend as well as hope that it actually was one.

He jumped as he was nearly lifted off the floor, starting to resist on simple instinct and fear, but then forcing himself to be still again. Though he was tense, terrified and uncomfortable for being so close to the other, he made himself as pliant as possible in the others hold, though his hands trembled in the vampire's, as did he at the touch of tongue once again on his neck - why the hell did it have to be so intimate? Erwin could relax, he wasn't the one who would soon be almost dead. And then came the fangs - and at least he got a bit of a warning this time before they pierced flesh. Levi twitched in the vampire's hold, unable not to. But it wasn't as bad as he remembered, not at all as painful, though still just as startling to realise what Erwin was actually doing once he started drinking. Levi closed his eyes, waiting for the lightheadedness, the numb feeling in his hands and feet that would no doubt spread to the rest of his body now when Erwin was going to drink so much more.

A small groan of protest as it started, with Levi still terrified that Erwin would kill him instead - there was nothing he could do now if he decided to. His breathing sped up as his heart fought to pump the blood through his body even as Erwin pulled more and more of it out of him with each swallow, and he started sagging in the other's hold, thoughts slowing down as his limbs became too heavy to move. He was already weak from last time, and it seemed to take less time now to reach that exhausted state, though time dragged on forever in Levi's mind, each new swallow seemingly longer than the one before it. Instinctively, he wanted to ask the other to stop, but it wasn't worth the effort. He was completely dependant on Erwin to hold him up now, head spinning, unable to think or speak, unable to even feel his body except for the faint but laboured beating of his heart, and he was slipping very, very close to unconsciousness.  
\---  
It took only a few swallows before the taste of ink washed out, and the deep, sweetly metallic taste of his blood took over. Erwin's grip was firm and unyielding, his eyes closed as he drank, swallow after swallow. He was already decently full since the last time he fed, so this - this would help the process, strengthen their bond, as Erwin was already so powerful. The blood was intoxicating, deliciously warm as Levi's pulse quickened, little rabbit heart beating desperately as life left him by the mouthful.

This time, however, Erwin was fully in control of himself. He recognised every sign, the pace of his pulse, his ragged breathing, how his muscles strained but did not move to fight deliberately. He drank, and was nearly overcome with the thrill, the blood-induced high. A soft growl answered Levi's sounds of distress, and his grip tightened for a moment. Levi's hands were cold in his, his struggles nonexistent. Erwin paused for just a moment - and then he took a deep swallow, the final one to drain him of life. He was at the very edge of death in this very moment; and Erwin calmly pulled back, licked over the little wounds to heal them. Quick and efficient, he slit his own wrist with his fangs, holding it to Levi's slightly open lips. "Drink", he said, voice low and rumbling. "Drink deep, now."  
\---  
Both vision and hearing seemed to leave him, as if his senses were shutting down, and all he would have to do was sink a little further down into the darkness, and it would all be over. But the first drop of Erwin's blood that touched his lips was like some strong liquor, burning in his throat and bringing him back to his senses, to then just as quickly muffle them again, erasing any discomfort and pain. But he lived still, and was suddenly very sure that he wanted to keep doing that. He lapped just gently at Erwin's wrist at first, never once thinking of how disgusting it was to drink someone else's blood, but eventually started drinking properly. He leaned forward a little, sucking the blood out of the other's wrist, and each mouthful was just as invigorating, giving him more life even as his heart seemed to slow down a little with every swallow. Eventually he could reach up and grab at Erwin's wrist to hold it closer to his mouth, grip only growing stronger as he drank more and more, unable to get enough of it. Could he-- was it possible to drain a vampire?  
\---  
There - the first drop fell across his lips, and Levi moved, as if surprised - well, he likely was. Erwin could still recall he sensation - life had been drained from his veins, on the very verge of death - and then, a drop of life, ambrosia, hope in the form of blood from another's veins. He let Levi drink, smiling as he pulled deeper, clinging to his arm like a kitten to its mother - but he was becoming greedy, and they couldn't have that. He would be defiant, he would be as driven as he had been before - none of that would change. Erwin would still have to tame him by hand.

He pulled his wrist free, licking at he wound to close it up. "That is enough", he said, voice hard. "You eat when let you, thief. Stop."  
\---  
He didn't want to let go. But he did not yet have a vampire's strength, so when Erwin pulled his wrist away, there was little Levi could do to stop him. He glared, straight ahead, eyes unfocused as he lowered his hand back to his lap, still strangely numb and cold. His breathing was slow again, very slow and very quiet, his heartbeat slowing as well as he hovered somewhere between life and death. And then very suddenly, Levi doubled over with a sharp, loud gasp. The vampire blood burned at his insides, trying to heal the damage that had been done by Erwin almost draining him, while his human body tried to reject it like it would a sickness, his temperature rising quickly. He trembled, hands going to his chest to press above his heart where the pain was intensifying as it fought to not stop, and he was suddenly convinced something had gone terribly wrong. Wouldn't Erwin have told him if this agony was a part of it, wouldn't he have loved to see the fear that would have caused? Levi parted his lips to ask, but his voice didn't want to work, and the only thing that came out were a few choked sobs and sharp, uneven intakes of breath as he sagged again in the other's arms.  
\---  
"Hush", he said again, because he remembered his own turning far too vividly to take any enjoyment in this. "It hurts, but it will pass." It was a good thing Levi was dressed only lightly for comfort, but he would run a high fever, and needed to rest for now. Erwin would feed him later. Whatever signs his semi-conscious mind picked up would be very important. If he was aware of Erwin's presence throughout his turning, he would undeniably he bound to him in more ways than just by blood. And if Erwin fed him, in small amounts at his own leisure, Levi would come to recognise him as his provider as well as superior. It seemed a primal process, but it was carefully thought out.

He rolled them back onto the bed, his flesh hand once again around Levi's wrists for control and comfort, as he curled up behind him. Levi was small enough to fit nicely into the curve of his body. His metal arm lay across his abdomen, holding him firmly still. He might hurt himself otherwise - bite his tongue and spill blood, break a bone which would slow he healing process.  
\---  
What small reassurance Levi felt at knowing that nothing was wrong and that the pain would pass only lasted a few seconds, when another wave of pain hit, so horrible everything went black for a moment, his whole body twitching in Erwin's arms. The next thing he became aware of, apart from the continuous, constant agony, was being held by the vampire, tucked close to him on the bed, his hold as unrelenting as always, but still softer, without adding any pain, but holding him still as he shook in small fits of pain. And Erwin wasn't as warm as a human would have been, but rather blessedly cool against his back as the fever quickly set in and he started drifting in and out of consciousness. Every slow heartbeat was painful, every intake of breath laboured, and he was dimly becoming aware of how thirsty he was, how dry his mouth felt, though his mind still wanted water and nothing else.  
\---  
He doubted words would get through to the other man at this point. Actions were far more clear; and so he held Levi still, as his body was wracked with wave after wave of pain, as he shuddered, struggling to breathe, as his heart fought to beat. A window stood open, leaving cool air to enter the room - it would help. This condition would feel much like a fever, yes - but sweating it out wouldnt help. This was unnatural for the human body; in no way a disease or healing process, but a turning.  
\---  
It was the most painful night in his life, and it was the only thing he could think about during those moments when he was lucid enough. How much it hurt, how he wished it would end, sometimes even how he would have liked to die instead. Occasionally, he'd notice how thirsty he was, or how Erwin was still holding him still, and once or twice he couldn't help but wonder why, because it certainly helped, not having to be alone. But why would Erwin bother?

Morning came, though it mattered little to Levi, who was still trembling on the bed, but fainter now than he had done at the beginning of the night. He didn't know if it was because he was so exhausted and had gotten so used to it he no longer felt the pain as clearly or if it was actually lessening, still unconscious as he was for most of the time. But something was evidently happening; his heart was beating even more weakly and ever so slowly, and it felt almost unnatural, like an obtrusive thing that he wanted gone. And barely had the thought crossed his mind before it suddenly stilled, with a last, trembling shudder, and so did Levi. He didn't even breathe as he slowly came back to his senses, because he didn't need to. But once he realised this, he took a deep breath at once, and it felt amazing, all the smells of the room suddenly so clear to him; the musky smell of wooden furniture, the lingering smell of the London night from the open window, and Erwin, somehow overbearing, powerful, yet still calming. It wasn't words Levi would have used to describe smells ever before, but it made sense to him now, somehow.

He opened his eyes, and saw everything from every crack in the wooden roof to every little hair in the soft rug on the floor, even in the darkness of the room. The window was closed now, the dark curtains drawn. It was a bit of a shame; Levi would have liked to know how far away he could see with his new vampire eyes. He shifted slightly, moving to pull his hands from Erwin's grip, not knowing if he was sleeping or not. Levi certainly wasn't sleepy, and the only discomfort left was the incessant thirst, but he tried hard not to think about it at the moment, his mind clear enough to realise what it meant now, and that he certainly wasn't thirsting for water.  
\---  
It took him a moment to realise it; it had been some time since Erwin last turned a human. But Levi's heart, which had grown weak and desperate, had finally given in. It had stilled. Erwin's blood was all that he had now. Erwin was all that he had. Erwin remained still, not breathing or blinking, wanting to see the first moment of recognition. He had seen panic in the newly turned at this point - but Levi seemed far calmer than that. A deep, ragged breath - entirely unnecessary, but Erwin could understand the need. Even if he was, in fact, dead - he might need to feel alive. That need would pass, as would his human habits. All in due time. He tightened his grip instinctively as Levi attempted to pull away; control was absolutely critical at this point.

"Welcome back", he said in a low voice; it might have sounded sarcastic, but the words were more genuine than most things he had said to Levi before. "It's all clear now, isn't it?" Voice low, almost a growl, but calmer than before. "How dull the world must seem to a human." He released the other's wrists, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed to sit. "Do you thirst?" Of course. But he needed the other to say it.  
\---  
Erwin wouldn't let him move, and Levi tensed and stilled, eyes narrowing slightly. Couldn't he fight back now? Wasn't he just as strong as the other? But the fear he'd had for Erwin as a human still lingered, and so he remained still, once again thinking about how odd it was that he had held him the whole night, almost gently, arms wrapped around him. It made Levi slightly uncomfortable, though maybe mostly because it made him feel grateful, and it was probably nothing he should feel towards the vampire. His voice as he spoke seemed slightly lower than it had been before, but much clearer somehow, and Levi could almost hear it vibrating in his chest. But he hadn't been a vampire long enough to look down on humans like Erwin did, and he hoped he never would. "Their senses aren't as good." he mumbled, slightly startled by his own voice, how it was so clear even as he felt parched with thirst. "I wouldn't call their world dull, however."

Levi rolled over as Erwin released him, sitting up in the middle of the bed with no effort at all. He studied his hands, as if expecting to find them different, and then brushed his tongue over his teeth in sudden realisation. Sure enough, there were fangs there now, sharp and deadly. His brow furrowed at Erwin's next question, eyes still on his hands. But he couldn't deny it, no matter how much he wished he could. He turned sharply to look at Erwin then, movement slightly less human, suddenly a bit more daring. "Yes. But I don't want to kill anyone."  
\---  
Erwin listened, and very secretly he smiled. They, said Levi about the humans. Not us. Words hold great meaning, after all. The physical transition was complete; but it would take him some time to fully enter the mindset. It would take time to realise the power, the potential of his body; and time yet again to grow into it. Levi would be far stronger than he had ever been before, his senses sharper - but a vampire's skills were not only given by the bite. They needed to be learned, practiced, trained throughout years, decades, centuries.

For him, the turning had felt as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes. Everything had become crisp, sharp - every noise, every motion. He could see that in Levi, now. He had become a bit more confident, hadn't he? A little daring? He couldn't let that get out of hand. His eyes narrowed at Levi's near-challenging tone, and he turned towards him. "No? Then have I turned you in vain, thief? If you do not drink, you will perish. Become nothing but a shell, weaker than you were even as a human." He stood, straightening his clothes. "You will come around in due time."  
\---  
Levi didn't quite notice it himself, but he had changed. He'd been fast before, instinctual in every thought and movement, but now everything was even more so, animalistic almost. His eyes on Erwin were sharp like those of a bird of prey, his posture seemingly relaxed but always ready to spring into action, especially as Erwin turned towards him. He no longer leaned away in fear, but rather forward, taking a more defensive stance, but not quite challenging. "I didn't say I wasn't going to drink." He could certainly feel that he had to, and soon, or he was going to go mad with thirst. "Can't I drink without killing? There has to be a way, you just haven't bothered finding it yet. If nothing else, just catch a human without letting them see you, and then drink only a little before healing the wound? They're not going to tell anyone they were attacked by a bloodsucker in the middle of the night, because they think people will call them insane for it." He watched as Erwin stood, but remained on the bed, swallowing as he waited for an answer in a hopeless attempt to make his mouth feel less dry.  
\---  
Oh, he didn't shy back just yet. Erwin raised an eyebrow, silently appreciative. A turning made the person stronger, quicker, more aware. But as the undead blood of another corrupted one's veins, it affected the body depending on already developed characteristics. Mike, who had always had keen senses, had become able to tell apart good blood from bad, without even opening a wound. He could feel by the scent which nobles had calmed themselves with opiates, which ones used what medicine, who had invited someone else than their spouse into their bed. Little things, it might seem, but infinitely useful. Levi, clearly, had become quicker - not more clever.

"No", said Erwin, tone suddenly hard and dangerous, the tone brooking no challenge. To what extent could he control him already? "You may not." It was a reminder, and a well needed one, that he must keep Levi here, under control, until he was absolutely sure he could be trusted. "Bite one, and it's a harmless story. Two, and it's a rumor. Three?" His gaze was hard, eyes focused only on Levi. "They will start searching. Do not underestimate the power of human fear."  
\---  
Breath caught in his throat, his mind reeling at the power one single, firm word from Erwin had on him as his voice seemed to die in his throat for a moment or two. But it was over in seconds, and then Levi felt free to speak again. The sensation lingered, however, as did the fear that rose in him again. His eyes narrowed, though he had not yet taken his eyes off the other, and wasn't going to. Hopefully, he'd managed to keep both shock and fear from showing on his face, though obviously Erwin would notice his sudden silence. There was an urge to bare his fangs and growl in warning to make sure Erwin would never do that again, but he didn't give in to it, because it was much too animalistic, not enough human, and neither would it work. Fuck it. But at least he was still alive, or whatever he should call it. He would have plenty of time to work on finding a way around this power Erwin had over him. "You've already caught someone for me, haven't you?" he muttered. "I'll drink from them this time."  
\---  
Silence, almost absolute silence followed. He was no Mike, but the change in mood was almost tangible in the air. Oh, he feared him still - just as Erwin expected. He hid it better, certainly - and he did not have as much reason to, now that his death wasn't imminent. But Erwin would not let him get out of hand only because he had no use as a vessel. This turning had been somewhat hurried; Levi knew nothing about life as one of their kind.

But Levi spoke again, and Erwin grinned. Clever, but far too rude still. "I am your sole provider. If I do not choose to feed you, there is nowhere else from where you can find fresh blood, thief. You will do well to keep that in mind. But..." His eyes fell to Levi, scrutinizing. "There is someone waiting for you, only a few rooms away. Alive and well - so far."


	7. Chapter 7

They'd have to see about that, wouldn't they? Levi still remembered his plan; find a way to kill Erwin, maybe the others as well, and then escape. And something told him his vampire mind would feel less guilty about it than he would have done as a human, which was slightly worrying. But useful, all the same. The grin on Erwin's face made him want to growl, but instead he turned away, jumped off the bed and landed soundlessly on the floor, a brief look of fascination crossing his face. Even as the burning in his throat was close to painful, every movement was so effortless. He felt like he could do anything - though he was reasonable enough to realise that was probably not the case. "I'm no longer a thief, am I?" he said, voice a bit quiet but still clear, almost uninterested as he let his eyes roam the room rather than look at Erwin. He did turn to him though, at the mention of someone waiting, looking grim but determined. "Then let's go there?" He tried to make it sound like a suggestion to make it seem less rude, though his heart wasn't really into it. Then again, it _had_ stopped beating.

\---

"Perhaps you are not", Erwin agreed. "Perhaps not any more." But then what was he? He hardly believed the man would give up his anger so easily. Turning him gave Erwin a certain amount of control, but it wouldn't change what made his person. His mechanic fingers curled, then relaxed. Save your strength for when it is needed. His gaze was no softer as he looked back, but he nodded. "This way", he directed, leading them out into the corridor. The boy they had caught sat in the very same chair as their last vessel; his eyes were closed and his breathing quick, face turned from the door, as if he could deny their existence. As if they would go away, like the shadows that look over children's beds at night, as the eyes one imagines glimmer in the forest. But vampires are no creatures of the imagination. Flesh if not blood, solid and all too real. Hanji sat across from them in the room, having kept watch over the vessel. They looked at Levi, tilting their head to the side as of to say _not bad_. They were quiet, however; which only made the vessel' swords stand out more sharply. "Please", he said, voice small and desperate. "Please, have mercy--"

\---

Levi had none. He was thirsty. He'd been wary again at the sight of Erwin's metal fingers curling, then surprised as the other actually nodded and did as Levi had suggested. Confused as to why all the curtains in the mansion were drawn, but too thirsty to ask, and then-- then he smelled it. Thick and metallic and mouthwatering, it was like someone had hit him over the head, and everything human about him was gone in a second. He barely saw the boy, certainly didn't notice Hanji, and though Erwin's presence remained very tangible, Levi didn't think even a word from him could have held him back as he lunged forward. Like a bird of prey, incredibly fast, he swooped down, going for the wrist rather than the neck, ripping both leather cuff and clothes as he instinctively seeked out the veins. He was on his knees, but no less powerful for that, deaf to the boy's pleading as he bit down with none of the finesse Erwin had had when he'd bitten Levi last night.

The first swallow was like new life, like someone had found a way to liquefy everything that made someone alive, and so very soothing to his parched throat. And Levi was gone, eyes half-closed as they lost their cold grey and turned as red as the blood he drank so deeply, without a thought of stopping, unable to think about anything at all other than how delicious it was, and how he wanted more, always, always more.

\---

In the blink of an eye, he had left Erwin's side and knelt down beside the boy in the chair, biting into his wrists. The boy's pleading became frantic, then threatening, then suddenly he quieted. It lasted only a moment, however, before he cried out - a sickeningly hopeless noise, almost animalistic. There was no one here to hear him except the rats in the walls, though. And even if London's finest had stood underneath his window, he could easily have explained it as a thief caught by his own hand, to spare them their trouble. Money and a good name had its privileges. 

He circled Levi, huffing quietly with distaste at his lacking technique. His wrist would be torn beyond repair, making it hard to hide the cause of death. Twin holes above a vein were bad enough, but this... He would have to throw the corpse to his dogs. Blood spilled down, escaping Levi's lips, wasted as it reached the floor. He had thought to let him drink in peace, but there were _some_ things he would not stand for; and waste was one of them. "Stop", he growled in the same voice as before. "You are making a mess of the carpet."

\---

One deep swallow, and then another, and another, and Levi had none of the manners or awareness of his old human self, didn't notice if the blood smeared over his lips or if he made a mess. But Erwin's words he had to notice, it seemed, because he might just as well have wrapped his hand around his throat and dragged him away from the wound, the way Levi pulled away from it. Levi's eyes were still on the boy's wrist, mouth open and fangs bared as he breathed in the still heavy scent of blood, hands still holding the arm down, not even aware of if the boy had been struggling at all or were doing it at the moment. He wanted more, and Erwin had stopped him because he was soiling the damn carpet? To hell with that.

"I don't care about your fucking carpet, let me drink." The words were a little slurred, like those of a man who had had too much alcohol, any and all respect and fear Levi held for Erwin momentarily quenched by the thirst. And though there was no way to hide the control the other man had over him now, he barely cared, his mind only occupied by one thing.

\---

The carpet? Erwin leaned in close, speaking right next to Levi's ear. "Neither do I." His metal thumb brushed lightly over where he had bitten Levi before, and then he pulled back, standing, looming above the other. "I care little for stains on my carpets - but when those stains are a result of one of mine wasting blood - then I really  _do_  mind." He carefully inspected the metal hand before picking his white gloves out of his pocket, tugging them carefully on. "You may continue", he added as an afterthought. He would explain in detail later, but now - now Levi was as lost as a drunkard with a bottle, thirsty and desperate. Like a kitten with its mother - if said kitten's hunger would kill the cat, that was. He tore his gaze from Levi's back, turning instead to Hanji, who gave him a sly little smile. "Everything went as expected, then", they said, shifting restlessly. "How did he present? Even more rash?" He sat down beside them, sinking back into the plush armchair. "Quickness, it seems", he said. "No less spirit."

\---

Cold metal against his neck, and Levi twitched a little more upright, a little more attention shifting away from blood and drinking to listen to Erwin properly. But the other's touch and voice did little to clear his mind, only seemed to make it slow down even more. Wasting blood, was he? That wasn't good. He didn't want to waste a single drop of it, so maybe he should try and be more careful. Only it was hard, thinking of anything other than just drinking, once he did it. And as Erwin allowed him to, he lunged forward again, sinking his fangs into skin again, pulling deep gulps of blood from the weakening human.

He didn't notice as the boy's struggles ceased completely, barely noticed his blood turning just a little colder, though he heard the frantic beating of his heart, and he also heard it stop. And suddenly, Levi reeled back, back on his feet with a hand over his mouth, hissing and spitting as he finally came to a stop with his back against the wall. He clutched at his throat for a moment, then slowly lowered both of his hands, eyes on the pale body in the chair, limp with his wrist torn and bloodied, and very much dead. The heavy smell of blood was gone, the dead blood he had spilled onto the floor had long since lost its taste, the bitterness of the last swallow like a bucket of cold water being poured over his head, and he realised that he had done exactly what he'd insisted on not doing. He'd killed before, that in itself wasn't a problem, but this boy had been innocent, with no purpose to his death other than to quench his thirst. And that wasn't something Levi wanted on his conscience.

He turned to Erwin then, accusing and angry, and then he lunged. Because as angry as he was at Erwin for not stopping him, just as angry was he at himself for what he'd done, so right then it didn't matter that he was careless, it didn't matter if Erwin caught him before he could do any damage. He'd welcome a fight, because then he wouldn't have to think about what he had just done.

\---

His response - Erwin glanced towards Levi again as Hanji begun trailing from the path of relevance, and considered instead the reaction he had earned from the thief. From _Levi_. He had not succeeded in stealing, after all, and perhaps by using his name he could wear down Levi's barriers further. He needed to trust him eventually. Suddenly the thought struck him - he would have to visit his own Lord, now that he had turned yet another. But it could wait until he had him under control more fully. Presenting him in his state was like bringing a rabid mutt to a dog show. Or perhaps a wolf, or fox - quick and clever, strong but not yet tame. He feared Erwin's anger, but he did not yet trot after him or sit at his feet. That would come with time, though. 

With a start Levi all but threw himself back, looking absolutely stricken and horrified. Clearly he had been roughly torn from the blissful state of feeding; but for what? The realisation? He seemed near panic, and unwilling to make the same mistake again, Erwin rose from his chair, sliding his gloves off and giving them to Hanji. Only just had he done that, as Levi turned, eyes glaring red and mad with anger, and jumped. Erwin swung his hand, with little care for his strength now that Levi was vampire rather than human.

\---

Just like his movements, his reactions seemed to have become quicker as a vampire as well. But Erwin would know that, and be as quick as he could be in return, and every bit as strong. Levi twisted to get away from the metal arm, at the same time as he raised his own to do something he had never quite dared to do before; trying to grab on to it. The blow was hard, painful, causing Levi to stagger and nearly fall even as he'd managed to twist away from the worst of the impact. A human would probably still have sprawled unconscious on the floor; Levi's legs gave out for a fraction of a second before he wrenched himself back upright with a snarl, clutching hard at the metal, glancing down briefly at it before he started digging his fingers into it. Any little crevice he could find, and then he tightened his grip, testing his new strength. He was a newly turned vampire, he'd just emptied a human on blood without having to share, and he could sense that he was dangerous, and that the others knew it too. The way Hanji quickly got up spoke volumes, though they stopped before they could reach him, eyes on Erwin as if waiting for some signal.

\---

Levi clung to him as a cat with its claws, too clever fingers digging into the vulnerable parts of his arm. No human would be able to dislodge the cogs and hooks, but a vampire, driven by fury and desperation? Erwin backhanded him across the face, bending his arm to dislodge the grip, hoping to catch his fingers between upper and lower arm. Hanji stood ready, eyes on him, but letting them help now would mean defeat. If there was one thing he could not afford at this point it was weakness. He hit again, aiming for Levi's solar plexus, sorely missing the advantage he had given up now that Levi no longer needed to breathe. But as he pulled his hand back, he could feel just the faintest  _click_  of something coming loose. His arm-- he twisted it, but his thumb wouldn't move, and turning it inwards was a struggle. With renewed rage - how  _dare_  he - he snarled, without much conscious thought behind the order. " _Down_."

\---

Beneath the smooth-looking surface of the arm, there were sharp edges and hooks, and now when he was a vampire, it wouldn't matter if he cut a finger once or twice. Levi had little to fear as far as getting injured went, and it certainly helped to know. There was no way to get away from the other's hand unless he let go, and so he took the hit, only gripping the metal harder as his head snapped to the side. But there-- something had come loose beneath his fingers, and he only pressed harder as he doubled over from the second it, but it was with a sense of triumph that he started straightening up again, until Erwin's order came, and Levi's legs simply gave out. He fell to his knees, tearing his hand away from the metal arm as he went, snarling again in frustration as well as anger. But he turned his head back up at once, fearless for the moment, looking to the arm to see what damage he had managed to do. "Can't you fight me fairly?" he growled. "Or am I too strong for that now?"

\---

"You know nothing of strength", Erwin spat, glaring down at the man beneath him. "You fight like a street dog, without any honour - so what do you expect in return?" Hanji had stepped back, though their eyes were bright - with anger, but also something more he could not place. "I grant you food, the very finest blood - and you attack me, in turn? There is no fairness here,  _Levi."_ The name sounded almost as an insult falling from his lips. "Only power."

\---

Food, that was all humans were to these creatures. Not a walking, talking, feeling and very much alive human being, but simply blood, contained in a practical vessel that kept it fresh and warm. He thought about trying to get back up on his feet, but the way Erwin said his name made him reconsider, and he stayed down, teeth clenched as he turned his head away in disgust and anger. "I told you I did not want to kill anyone. You evidently had the power to stop me, so why didn't you? You must have known I wouldn't be able to stop on my own." He wasn't asking for Erwin to coddle him, and tried hard to not make it sound like that. But while neither him nor these vampires seemed to care much for right and wrong - Levi had been a thief for most of his life after all - shouldn't Erwin have stopped him? Though he'd asked to be left alone to drink, but he had been drunk on blood, beyond proper reasoning, and Erwin must have known that as well. "Do you enjoy it?" he asked, voice much lower now, as if some of the fight had started to leave him, but no less disgusted.

\---

His arm wouldn't fucking move as it should. Sure he could still swing t, but not without difficulty, and entirely lacking finesse. It was as if Levi's fingers, on pure instinct, had found a most critical part and dug his fingers into it. Bitterly he wondered how Levi would like a tendon in his own arm dislodged; surely Hanji could manage that, given the right tools. "Stop?", he laughed mirthlessly, not much more than a breath. "I did, little thief. I told you to stop and you snarled at me to let you drink. Can't you recall?" Perhaps the memory had faded some in the haze of hunger. But the urge had been Levi's own - Erwin had never ordered him to drink, nor was it he who had first suggested Levi be turned. He sighed at the next question, deliberately holding his mechanic arm still as not to show discomfort. "I enjoy your defeat", he admitted shamelessly. "But perhaps that is not all that you ask."

\---

His mind might have been muddled by the thirst while he drank, but he could still remember it now, quite clearly too. And so there was nothing else he could say about it, figuring "it should have been the right thing to do" would only earn him a laugh. It sounded pretty laughable even in his own head, to be honest, thief and murderer as he was. But while Erwin was admitting to be enjoying himself, he didn't sound very happy. Levi glanced up, noting the stiff, completely still arm, remembered how something had come loose beneath his fingers, and also how Erwin used to move it every time he wanted to scare him with those clicking, mechanic sounds. Surely now would have been a good time to use that, to keep him from attacking again. Something was wrong with it.

He glanced at Hanji, saw the warning evident in their eyes, their fangs slightly bared and body tensed and ready to spring. Now when he could see them so much clearer, he noticed in them the same animalistic quality that he felt he had gotten as well after being turned. Erwin, while ruthless and strong, was still more human in his movements and manners. Still, he wasn't sure Hanji would fight like an animal, because they were too clever, evidently knew exactly where to push and pull to cause pain enough to keep someone down, and while Levi knew a few similar tricks, he had no way of knowing how effective it would be on vampires. What he needed to figure out was how to kill them. There were plenty of furniture to break in the room, but he would need to be more direct in his attack, or Erwin would simply order him to stop before he could even get himself another stake. But what would work; breaking their necks? Would it have to be something more drastic, like ripping heads off or plunging a hand through their chests? Maybe Hanji would show him exactly how it was done, should he manage to actually do Erwin any damage...

Levi suppressed a shudder, and slowly stood, making no quick, threatening movements, eyes on one of his own hands. "No, I was more wondering if you enjoy making me feel like shit." The words were only a small diversion, and then he thrust his arm forward and up with all the strength he could muster, not allowing himself to hesitate even at the thought of soft skin and muscle tearing beneath his bare hand. But then without Erwin even opening his mouth, all strength seemed to leave him, blood running even colder in his veins as he went down on his knees again. He caught himself on his hands, eyes a little wider in shock as he put two and two together. He couldn't kill Erwin. He couldn't kill the one who had given him new life when he had been on the very verge of death. It was Erwin's blood that had given him life then, and it was it that ran through his veins now, even as he had drank himself full on human blood, and it was a debt he would never be allowed to forget.

\---

Did he enjoy it? He could not deny the pleasure of revenge; or perhaps it was not really that, taking their positions into consideration. Perhaps he enjoyed - putting Levi in his place. The uppity young vampire, who knew so little yet spoke as were he an expert; who had been granted mercy yet made attempt after attempt at Erwin's life. Even now, as he had let him feed mostly undisturbed, he moved so quickly that Erwin hardly had time to react, thrusting his hand forward - but not reaching his goal. Erwin only barely held himself from jumping back - a hand, a hand would have hurt but not harmed. But Levi fell, curled into himself and landed on his hands and knees. A deathly silence fell, and then the scrape of boots he recognised as Hanji's. Erwin stood as frozen, and they glanced only briefly up at him before kneeling behind Levi. 

Their nails were short but sharp against the vulnerable skin of his lower eyelids. Their thumbs grasped his jaw in an iron grip, hands not even trembling from breath or heartbeat. Still as a corpse, cold as one, Levi's face in a dead man's grip. Their mouth right by his ear, cold breath brushing over his cheek as they spoke. "Eyes don't grow back. What is a thief without eyes? What is a blinded vampire?" Erwin, torn between triumph and anger, let them speak for now without interruption. "You fucked his arm up, didn't you?" they continued, glee in their voice suddenly giving way for coldness. "If I cut a main tendon, cauterize it neatly, it will have the very same effect. Would you like that? Or for me to carve over your heart with a stake? You need to stop, or I swear I will make good on my threats.”

\---

Levi didn't seem to regain the ability to move until it was too late, flinching away from Hanji's touch when their fingers already gripped his face, too strong for him to get away unless he wanted to break something. He had heard them approach, but everything seemed to have shut down momentarily after he'd made the attempt to kill Erwin, and was only now starting to work again. But there was nowhere to go, they were behind him, and any movement forward might make him lose an eye. His instincts screamed at him to escape and yet to be as still as possible, to close his eyes but also to keep them open; in the end he closed them and kept very, very still in the crazy vampire's grip as they spoke low in his ear. At least his fear was easier to hide now, when he had no beating heart and quickening breath to betray him. But the way he held his breath, how his fingers brushed briefly over Hanji's hands before he let them fall back into his lap in resignation and defeat, and how tense he was - Hanji was good enough at this to recognise those signs for what they were. He had to give it to them.

He breathed out slowly once he realised he would have to say something, needing the air to speak. There was too much room in his mind to think, even if he had been equally terrified as Erwin had wrapped his metal fingers around his throat, now there was no pain, no lack of breath to keep him from thinking clearly about what could happen to him. "I'm sure there's someone who can mend his arm." he mumbled, barely moving his lips, confident that both Hanji and Erwin would be able to hear him anyway. There was no emotion in his voice, nothing that could offend or upset. But surely they would agree on that it wasn't the same; to cause him irreparable damage when Erwin's arm could be fixed? "I'll stop. If I can't kill you, there's no reason to keep on fighting."

\---

His touch was faint, soft, already surrendered - but they gave him nothing back. Thumbs hooked in the hollow between jaw and neck, knees on either side of his thighs, and their nails - perhaps that was what scared him most. A man without eyes - oh! "We should cut his tongue, too, so that he can't speak, and set him out in the middle of London. How long would you last? Even if you weren't killed right away, you would soon begin to thirst. But keeping a tongue still is so damned difficult-- Erwin! Maybe you could  _make_  him hold his tongue out, so I can make a clean cut." And for perhaps the first time, Erwin wasn't feeling entirely adverse to letting Hanji follow through on their threats. He had given Levi chance after chance, and he had been betrayed in turn. 

"Why trust you now?" asked Erwin, fatigue creeping I to his voice. No alternative was a given choice - either way would mean a partial defeat. Unless - unless he managed to truly tame this stray cat, with a mind to match his claws. "That you  _cannot_  kill me means no loyalty."

\---

Bloody hell, this vampire was out of their mind. Levi clenched his teeth together at once as they spoke, and though he had never been one to wish for death even in the most bleak and horrible circumstances, he would probably rather be dead that go through what they were suggesting. And surely, Erwin's power over him couldn't work like that, the pain would snap him out of the spell before Hanji could cut off anything, and surely they wouldn't actually-- Erwin wouldn't agree to it, would he? He wasn't as mad as Hanji, he--

Levi's thoughts came to an abrupt stop at Erwin's question, and cold dread settled over him, numbing everything else he might be feeling, hands twitching in his lap, desperate to do something. "No-- no, I give up. I'll get nothing out of fighting you, next time you're not even going to hesitate before you kill me or-- or worse." He could hear that clearly in their voices, just like he could hear his own; quiet, scared and desperate. How ironic that he would finally be driven to this point now, when he was stronger than he had ever been as a human. "I'll do as you say, from now on. I realise my word means very little to you, but it's all I can offer."

\---

He spoke of surrender, but somehow the sweetness of victory was not quite there. What, was this his defeat? Erwin had been prepared to hurt him, and then he gave in so easily. He had before, too, but this was different. More resigned, not at all as wild as before, snarling and trashing about. Instead there was fear - and hadn't he missed that.  _I'll do as you say_. For how long, this time around? A day? A week? It would be easier to kill him here and be done with it. But there was still the matter of the Lord who had employed him in the first place; in the middle of all this he had almost forgotten about that man. Levi had stolen away all of his attention - and that alone was proof enough that he should give him to Hanji to do with as they wished, and then be rid of him. 

He should. They knew it, and so did they, and Hanji's fingers were ready. "Levi", said Erwin, making sure there was absolutely no doubt to what he was saying. "Hold out your tongue." Hanji's eyes seemed to glimmer as they stared up at him; but that might have been the light playing tricks with their glasses. He looked down on Levi, then back at them. "Can you cut it, here?" They hummed, then replied in the affirmative, not lacking enthusiasm. "Then remember that", said Erwin, turning around to pick his gloves back up before motioning to Hanji to let him to. "Remember that the next time you consider attacking me again."

\---

Levi slowly opened his eyes at the sound of his name, feeling empty and ill at ease at the lack of a heartbeat hammering in his chest, of the trembling and quickened breathing he would usually associate with the panic he felt.  _Hold out your tongue_. His eyes widened even as he clenched his teeth together, and he shrunk back, away from the order even if it meant pressing himself closer to the mad vampire behind him. But he couldn't resist it, and his lips parted without him wanting them to, and he quickly brought his hands up in front his his mouth in a useless attempt to protect himself further, a few last words slipping out before his own tongue prevented him from speaking. "No, please..." Pleading now, finally.

But Hanji released him a few agonizingly long seconds later, and yet Levi didn't move, didn't quite understand what had happened just yet, mind numb from the fear. But he could close his mouth again, and then slowly lowered his hands back to to floor, supporting himself while he realised what Erwin had just done. He hung his head, all fight gone and tame for now, much like a dog kicked into obedience. "I will." he mumbled, voice rather hollow and weary. "And I won't."

\---

Oh - Levi sounded as if he might actually believe his own words this time. Pride had given way to fear, then; Erwin was silently, deeply impressed it had taken no less than that. By he was also quite satisfied to have been the one to bring him to that point, to have shown him that fear. He wouldn't be eager to rebel again, and perhaps then Erwin would be able to resume his normal business. Levi would need to be kept under control, still - perhaps he would set Hanji to that task. "Good", he said, voice short but not overly unkind. Neutral, even. An underling kept in a constant state of terror could not serve his purpose; in time he would gain respect as well as fear, and perhaps then he could set him out on his own now and then. For now, he would keep this bird in its nest. 

"He is dead, but not empty. Next time, drink it all before the vessel dies; dead blood is useless, if not dangerous. Hanji will keep watch over you for now, and no matter how quick you are, I have those who can outrun you. I have no reason to harm you if you obey; remember that. Obedience will keep you alive, usefulness might earn you privileges." He paused, thinking - but he would hardly seem soft after what had just happened. A little kindness... "It is not a bad life." Well, emphasis on little, for now.

\---

Levi kept his head down, eyes fixed on a point on the floor just in front of him, as still as only a vampire could be. He wasn't used to accepting defeat, and now when he had been forced to, driven to do it by the fear that had been a constant companion to him for - was it days now? - he felt about as drained and tired as he remembered doing the first time Erwin had fed from him. And while it was only in the mind now, it was still just as horrible, if not perhaps even more so. And the last thing he wanted was to be reminded of the human he had killed, but apparently he'd failed at doing that properly as well. He didn't see how it mattered; the human was dead, he had heard his heart stop. But Levi simply nodded for now, because he wasn't going to argue. The kindness was lost on him as well, the words only sounding sarcastic in his ears. It was a life of killing innocent, defenseless people, and he didn't want it. But then neither did he want to die.

Was Erwin going to leave him alone with Hanji, though? Levi looked up at that, but only briefly before he accepted that there was nothing he could do if that was Erwin's plan. And at least Hanji couldn't order him around like Erwin could, so if they tried to hurt him he would be able to defend himself. "I'm not going anywhere." he mumbled, because it sounded like Erwin still thought he would try something.

\---

That was defeat if he had ever seen it. A small sigh of relief died on his lips - he tried not to show that he had in any way been affected. But then - no, fuck it. A tired sigh, and he rubbed his brow briefly. He remembered the feeling of being controlled in that manner all too well; every vampire who turned another would make sure they knew the extent of that power. Erwin, who had come to be turned under distinctly different circumstances, had been through - other, no less exhausting things. And perhaps a little positive reinforcement was in order? More so, he needed Levi rested and alert; vampires might not need to sleep like humans, but rest would help in any case. He would not have him at anything but his best. "Stand up", he said, though this time without putting any force behind the order. "Come with me."

Hanji followed too, trailing just behind Levi. They entered the very same room as Levi had slept in before; sans table. Ironic, perhaps, but a show of confidence. He gestured for Levi to get onto the bed, trusting in that he would not be resisted at this time. Then, as Hanji sat down to watch over him, he once again picked up his commanding tone. "Relax, Levi. Sleep for a bit."

\---

Nothing escaped Levi's sharp senses, even though me might have wished for it, and he picked up Erwin's sigh as well, and wondered what it was for. Had he done something wrong? But as Erwin spoke again, Levi noticed the lack of power behind his words, and there was nothing forcing him to his feet even as he obeyed almost at once, preferring in any case to be on his feet in their company. Maybe it was a test, to see how cowed he had become?

But he followed, glancing behind him at Hanji much like a frightened animal, but only once. He would hear them before they came close enough to touch him, should they attempt anything. The room he recognised, of course, but it was with fear and uncertainty that he looked up at the gesture from Erwin. Why should he, when he wasn't tired, not really-- why did Erwin want him on the bed? Levi gritted his teeth and sat down on the very edge of it, tense and with fingers curling in the blanket, and then came another order, and he loosened his grip at once. He would have looked up at Erwin again, but instead he blinked, eyes slightly out of focus, limbs heavy - and a small look of surprise and slight wonder crossed his face before he closed his eyes and slipped sideways on the bed. He pulled his legs up and curled up there, on the very edge of the bed, reminiscent of a small cat sleeping.

\---

It would likely take some time before he fell asleep; that last part had been less of an order, more suggestion. But Levi's muscles had lost their painful-looking tension, his shoulders had dropped as he lay down on the bed. It was a simple order, yet so effective; at once fear seemed to have all but melted away. For now, that was - he wouldn't forget what had happened, but he would be left to rest in peace. It was not Erwin being soft with him, he had to assure himself - it was because his mind was bound to be fragile so soon after being turned, and experiencing Hanji's methods firsthand. That vampire-- he was glad to have their loyalty, despite their rash decisions and sometimes disturbing ideas. They were effective, and that was what counted.

A stray strand of hair lay close to Levi's eye, and Erwin had to keep his hand from brushing it away on instinct.  He clenched his mechanic hand, and that was reminder enough; the man looked innocent enough now, but in no way was he. Thrice attempted murderer - with Erwin alone. But for now he did not worry about leaving him with Hanji.

\---

Levi thought he heard Erwin's steps - heavier than Hanji's - as he left the room and closed the door behind him, but there was no sound of it being locked this time. Of course, Hanji was still there with him, but Levi couldn't quite bring himself to care. He wanted the sleep Erwin had suggested he get, to not have to think and be afraid for a while - and surely with his sharp senses he would be able to wake up before Hanji could do him any harm. He didn't trust them, but for now he was relaxed enough to not worry, and it was easy to drift off to sleep even with them around. He kicked his shoes off, and then curled up even more before he quickly fell asleep.

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies in advance for the badly written game of poker; none of us actually knows how to play. I guess we lost the game.

Still as a dead man, with no breathing and no heartbeat, Levi slept for several hours, and though he didn't know it, he only stirred again at the very moment the sun had set outside. He opened his eyes, then slowly moved to sit up, expecting stiffness from having slept curled up for so long, but feeling none. He glanced up then, a bit wary, to see if Hanji was still around.

\---

Gaze sharp and mouth set in a thin line, she prodded his arm with nimble fingers. "With his bare hands? Just so?" Erwin nodded in response to the question, gazing with some small amount of worry down at her working hands. Mike sat right beside the both of them, calm as ever, expression unreadable. Nanaba swore lightly. "Bastard. This isn't impossible to fix, but tricky, and your arm is far too vulnerable; this won't do. You will need to have it reinforced, or you need to not let him get so fucking close." Her hard tone was from genuine concern, and Erwin agreed somewhat tiredly. 

Hanji had returned to their chair in good time; if they had looked his newly grown fangs over, he would never be the wiser. Now a book dangled from their hand - prose, not their usual medical theory - but Erwin had been annoyed enough that perhaps for now it wasn't worth sneaking away to the library against orders to stay with the man. The small collection of books in the guest room would have to suffice. They looked up as he woke. "Enjoy it?", they asked with a knowing little smile. "My Moblit can get himself worked up sometimes, too. But he sleeps like a puppy every time-- oh, perhaps some air..." Darkness had begun to fall, and so they pulled back the curtains, opening one of the windows a fraction.

\---

Hanji was still there - of course - and Levi dropped his legs off the bed so that he would be able to stand up quickly should he feel the need to. Though it would probably be better to stay down, as unthreatening and harmless as he could be, so to not anger anyone. He felt better after resting, yes, but the words he had spoken hours before was still true, and he was well and truly frightened and cowed. Hanji still scared him, and it showed in how his shoulders tensed up again as they spoke, though he met their gaze without looking away. But-- enjoyed what, sleeping? Their Moblit-- oh. Maybe they'd turned someone too, whom they could order around. He looked down for a moment, expression twisting slightly into one of distaste.  _Their_ Moblit - did that mean he was Erwin's, now?

He looked up again as they moved, followed them with his gaze to the window, and realised he'd had no idea about what time of day it was since he'd been dragged down to that cellar. But how long ago was that now, even? Now, the sky was dark, though not pitch black just yet; late evening perhaps. And once again, he wondered about the thick, dark curtains. Sure vampires were associated with the night, where they prowled dark alleyways in search of pray, but he'd seen Erwin in a sunlit room without him being affected in any way. "Why are the curtains always drawn?" he asked, voice quiet and careful. He licked his lips briefly, swallowing; the incessant thirst was still there, though nowhere as strong as it had been before he'd had any blood.

\---

The smile faded; apparently he did not wish to speak of it. His loss, then - this was interesting, too. "The sun isn't kind to the likes of us", they said. "We have always known it harmed, could feel the burn on our skin, but none were as daft as to stay out. You wouldn't have put your hand into a flame as a human, would you? No, imagine a stove - if you would set your hand on a cooking plate, and then someone would start a nice little fire underneath, letting it grow slowly." They were leaning against the bedframe now, having approached as they spoke. "It would be pleasant at first, and then just a bit painful, and more - and you would panic, trying to pull your hand away - trying to find shade from the sun, that is. The sun is - much like that. So we keep the curtains drawn, venture out at night. Or we usually would - you are stuck here until you can be trusted, and apparently I'm stuck in turn." They sighed, glancing towards the door. "He gets grumpy sometimes", they muttered. "The moon is bright, and I haven't hunted properly for a week - I guess you'll have to entertain me in the meantime." 

Looking around the room, they caught sight of the smaller table between the two armchairs. "Come here, then", they beckoned as they sat down, beginning to search through the small drawers underneath the table. "Come on, Erwin, don't say you didn't-- there!" Another deck of cards, formerly a neat stack, soon became a messy pile as they shuffled them up somewhat carelessly. "Ever play poker? I'll go easy on you in the beginning. Cheat all you like as long as I don't catch you, alright? I bet you..." They paused, thinking for a moment. "I bet you a cup of blood the next time we feed."

\---

Levi listened, and felt his situation grow even more hopeless. His chance of ever escaping would be even smaller if he could no longer go out during the day. There was no way out, and Hanji and Erwin kept scaring the crap out of him, kicking him while he was already down. And perhaps he was becoming paranoid, the way he quickly twisted his head around and stood abruptly at Hanji's words - what did the mad vampire mean, _entertain_ them? - but it wasn't very strange if he was, was it? They were getting to him, with their mind games, and Levi was losing himself, and all resistance and strength to stand up against them that he'd possessed before.

He slowly stepped into his shoes again, approaching with great hesitation until he saw the deck of cards and seemed to relax some. He lowered himself down into the chair in front of Hanji, scowling down at the table rather than at them. What would happen if they caught him cheating, would they rip one of his eyes out? Like he would actually dare. "I don't want to bet with blood." he mumbled, looking a little sick, swallowing again. "Do you ever stop feeling thirsty?"

\---

Hanji's look of surprise turned quickly into a little smile; this time it was almost fond, as if they remembered something. "We always do", they said, shuffling one last time before they started to deal the cards. "Money has little significance, possessions either too cherished to risk losing or without any meaning at all." They fingered their cards, nodding for Levi to begin. "Playing without debts is so dull..." But they could cut him some slack for now - he was new, he didn't know. He'd come around in time. Playing without bets was better than not playing at all, in any case. 

"Not really, no", they said, countering his first play. "It fades away, though. Background noise, you know. Just like - how the sun burns. You build up a resistance over time. That's why Erwin can play noble like any other. I suppose it hurts, still, but doesn't harm him as quickly. I've tried with my own skin, see - I can manage perhaps half an hour without causing myself real harm. Perhaps, because Moblit was going on inside, yelling at me to get back in - disturbing my experiments, see. But once, there was another Lord we visited who had found an infiltrator among his ranks - he was old, older than Erwin by far, and so the traitor managed all the way trough out lunch  _and_  afternoon tea before he started screaming outside! I had quite a good vantage point to take notes, so-- oi, cheating!" They straightened, voice suddenly harder, a clear difference from the excited chatter when telling a story. But only moments later they laughed, slapping lightly at Levi's hand. "I'm  _joking_. Don't be so stiff, shorty."

\---

Levi felt like telling them that blood was pretty damn valuable as well if you were a human, but he doubted they would see things his way. Instead he took his cards and studied them for a moment, and then looked at the cards on the table. He hadn't had the opportunity to play poker in a long time, but he was pretty sure he remembered the rules. Currently, he had a pair, which was good so far, he supposed. But his attention shifted away from the game as Hanji kept talking about more torture, and he couldn't help but shudder. He wasn't sure if Hanji realised it themself or not, but it could very well be another threat, a warning that if he stepped out of line, that was what would happen to him. Therefore, it wasn't so odd perhaps that he flinched back at their sudden, firmer tone, lips parting in the beginnings of a defensive snarl - he  _hadn't_ \--!

But then they laughed, and though he sharply pulled his hand back at their touch, his shoulders relaxed some again. He managed a glare, before he looked back down at the cards, scowled and then threw his hand down on the table. A full house, though his cards weren't very high, but it was worth the chance, he supposed. "Don't call me that." he muttered, wanting to win, but afraid to do so in case Hanji was a bad loser.

\---

So defensive! And so on edge - hell, his nervousness was almost unsettling. He had good reason to be nervous, of course - but couldn't he let loose a little? They were playing cards, damn it, nothing else. "Relax", they said, not even noticing the way their words mirrored Erwin's from before. "You are no threat. None of us particularly fear you after yesterday. Just behave decently, and there's no need to worry. An execution like that is for something more than cheating in a game of poker." Attempting Erwin's murder should certainly have been enough to warrant it, but that hadn't happened. Curious, that whole business. "Damn", they said in a low voice, flicking their three-of-a-kind onto the table. "Pity you didn't dare bet, then. Might have been good for you, that blood."

\---

Levi only scowled at that word, and thankfully it had none of Erwin's power, even though he would give a lot to feel as calm as he had done just after he had spoken it hours ago. That didn't mean he wanted Erwin to order him around again, of course, but-- well, it had been nice. Considerate almost, now when he thought about it. He had tried to murder him, so he would have expected something like the dark cellar, a couple of hours spent without being able to sleep at all because of the fear and hopelessness that gnawed at him now when he was awake. Not a soft bed and a relaxing few hours of sleep.

_None of us particularly fear you after yesterday_ ; Levi let out a small, disgruntled sound, though hopefully not enough to upset. But they'd told him to relax, hadn't they? He stared down at their cards for a moment, tense and almost expecting more threats for winning, but Hanji was clearly better than that. Only very slightly, though. "I don't want any more blood than is absolutely necessary." he mumbled. A thought occurred to him then, and he glanced up at Hanji, thinking about what they had said earlier. "You're some sort of scientist?" he asked, very careful once again. He had little doubt that everything he said would be reported to Erwin as soon as possible, and he didn't want it to sound like he was plotting something behind anyone's back, since he would most likely suffer for it. "Wouldn't you be interested in trying to find out if there was an alternative way to feed?"

\---

Well, well. Part of it could be because he was new, but Levi's determination not to cause harm to humans seemed to run deeper than so. He was certainly different from the bloodthirsty ones, who seemed to be nothing but pleased at the idea of being turned. They had a few of those - their kind was secretive, but not unfailing. Sometimes people heard, and had to be dealt with in one way or another. Some killed, some turned - and here Levi, who only barely had managed to place himself in the latter group. 

"Scientist?", she repeated with some surprise. Oh-- well, that was certainly better than  _crazy_  and  _mad person who doesn't know their plac_ e. "Self-taught", they explained, picking at their cards without focus. "But essentially - yes, among other things." His question was both amusing and belittling - but he was new, they reminded themself. "Don't underestimate my curiousity", they replied dryly. "Of course we've tried. Blood from animals mixed in, blood drained from the dead, but nothing works. Bottling it is impossible, too. As soon as it leaves the body - it's dead. We have to drink right from a beating heart, see."

\---

His words seemed to have some impact, at least, though maybe not the parts he had wanted to catch their attention. His eyes narrowed a fraction; they weren't used to being called that. They were flattered, even if they hid it well, and he would do well to remember that for future use. What did you call a scientist; Doctor, wasn't it? But then maybe that would be too much. He looked down at the table as well, trying to figure out something more to say, as if he could come up with a plan when everyone else had failed. To turn everyone they drank from would probably not be an option, if he alone was enough to cause Erwin trouble, a whole bunch of newly turned vampires would be a problem. "But if you found people who were willing, only drank a little each time..." He trailed off almost at once; it was a rather terrible idea, because they could change their mind at any time, decide they wanted out, and then they would have to be killed because they knew too much. And it would be cruel as well as sickening, keeping people around just to feed from them a little every other day, even if they were well treated. And - it would cost Erwin money, whereas snatching someone from the street was completely free of charge. He would never be able to convince anyone that it was a good idea, certainly not if he didn't think so himself. "Never mind. Bad idea. And you've most likely already thought of that, too."

He shrugged, looking rather miserable, but then suddenly seemed to perk up some, and started gathering up the cards on the table to shuffle them thoroughly. "I'm not saying you haven't tried your best already with this, because I have no doubts that you have. But if I win this time, you give it another try, with my help and full cooperation, should you need it for anything. If I lose, I'll gladly give you a cup of blood next time we feed. You either get a willing assistant or more blood, so either way you win, right?" He handed them the deck of cards, now in a neat pile, and then held his hands up to show he wasn't hiding any cards there. "You deal the cards, that way it's harder for me to cheat."

\---

Oh, it was a tempting thought - being able to drink without a hurry, more frequently and with a wide variety of tastes - but in practice, currently impossible. He realised this, though - we'll, they wouldn't have minded explaining. Experiments had been hard to do, because few were willing to try their ideas; pig blood wasn't too popular, and neither was blood mixed with herbs and ash, blood from a corpse, blood from a woman on her-- "Full cooperation?" Oh, man, that was - that was something. A willing participant to assist? Moblit was eager enough to help, but they couldn't base their results on one test subject, and sometimes a third pair of hands would be greatly useful. He wasn't as important as Moblit yet either, so they could have him for trying the more dangerous things - their Moblit was important, after all. Bringing unnecessary harm to their subordinates was not in their nature - but Levi was Erwin's, and he had tried to murder him, and so - he didn't really count. Or fall into the same category.

They grinned. "I accept. Or - how about best out of three? Adds a little thrill to it." They began dealing the cards, hands more quick even than before, eagerness evident in every motion.

\---

Levi nodded at once, though he suddenly felt quite ill at ease, as something told him he might not enjoy working for Hanji any more than he would enjoy working for Erwin. Who knew what this mad vampire could think of? What were they thinking about, while they grinned at him like that? But-- well, at least if they would demand something much too horrible, he could still refuse. They weren't Erwin, though they scared him just about as much.

"Sure." he agreed. Good; then he could leave the outcome of the first round to chance and skill alone, and go from there. He might not need to risk cheating to win, but win he would. He had too little power here to do anything on his own, but with Hanji on his side, the situation would be entirely different. It did look bleak though, at the start of the game, but at the end of it he had at least two pairs, which he flicked down onto the table with a rather sour look on his face.

\---

"Yes!", they cried out in triumph, slamming their hand down on the table; their five cards in perfectly numeral order. "I win - oh, this is good, I  _love_  this game!" Their happy exclamations and tone lasted all of a few minutes, right up until Levi just as swiftly beat them the next round. "Fuck", they muttered, expression sour. If they had been a bit more prepared they might have cheated - when Nanaba and Erwin played, cheating was rule rather than exception. They knew a few good tricks themself, but Levi seemed so stuck-up about cheating-- well, that might have been their fault. Really, they didn't care - cheating was skill as much as playing. But apparently he had taken their words more seriously than they had intended. Was that all because of yesterday? He should learn not to hold grudges like that, really. They were being nice now! 

"Last round!", they decided, voice again cheerful but firm. If he had counted the very first round, then... Then he would have to reconsider. "Come on, now. Fight for it!"

\---

So loud - and did they really have to brag like that? But Levi said nothing about it, just quickly gathered the cards, shuffled them and dealt them out for the next round. He kept his sour look on his face; maybe if Hanji thought he was a bad loser they would continue being smug about it, and it would in turn keep them somewhat distracted. If Hanji thought he was afraid to cheat, well, they would be right, but he would do so anyway. Having started his career as a pickpocket, he had learned the art of sleight of hand long ago, and now when he was a vampire his fingers were even quicker. Hanji never seemed to notice as a few cards disappeared and reappeared later, and then he got his victory. But he looked relieved rather than self-confident, and also seemed to have counted on another round. He just nodded, expression determined and focused. They dealt the cards this time, so it would be much harder to cheat. There were plenty of cards in the same colour, but if he couldn't get a straight flush, would an ordinary flush be enough? It seemed to be the best he could get, though he'd let Hanji show their cards first, this time.

\---

Three of a kind-- it was quite possible to win this last round. Still a little giddy from the last turn, they happily showed their cards-- only for their face to fall as he showed his. "Oh, but - fuck!" They fell back in their chair, arm over their eyes. "I  _swear_ you cheated just now. Didn't you? I'm fucking sure you did. Well - well, never you mind that. Congratulations." 

What had they promised him - giving it another try? It wouldn't be hard, certainly not a promise they would hesitate to keep. Supposedly Erwin wanted him in good condition, however - letting him try new ideas might not be ideal. In a few days he would have forgotten about them taking liberties and healing Levi; then they could do it again. For now, they would have to be a little more careful.

\---

The triumph he felt for winning lasted for a while, though he was careful not to show it. He hadn't cheated in the last round really - not much, at least, but still he shook his head at the accusation. Besides, they hardly seemed angry about it, rather eager to start. But for now, they were apparently stuck in this room together. Hanji blabbered on, and Levi couldn't help tuning them out after a while as he flipped the cards around randomly by himself, since they both seemed to have given up on playing any more. They got back to their book after a while, and Levi checked the bookshelf to see if there was anything interesting in it. There wasn't really, as far as he could tell, but he picked a book anyway and curled up at the foot of the bed to read.

As the hours slowly passed, he got neither hungry nor tired, though he was always thirsty. Hanji stood after a while and went over to the window to pull the curtains shut, and Levi realised the sun was about to rise. He shuddered. Eventually, he got up and went into the bathroom, bringing a clean set of clothes that had apparently been waiting for him in a drawer the entire time. But as he turned and looked into the mirror, he gasped quietly and flinched back, and then went still, staring at his reflection. Messy-haired and pale, faint, old bloodstains on his shirt and fangs visible beneath his parted lips, and the eyes, no longer his old cold grey, but piercing and red. But it would fade, he reminded himself. It had on Erwin, surely the same must apply to him.

Quickly, he turned away from the mirror, showered and dressed quickly - trousers and shirt, and a dark red waistcoat-- were they trying to rub it in? - brushed out his hair and then went back into the room. Ignoring Hanji's compliment of "handsome", he walked back to the bed, but then suddenly stopped halfway and turned sharply to the door. It was closed, but he could still smell it, and his mouth watered at once. Before Hanji could move to stop him, he flung himself towards the door, all ability to think rationally beaten down once again by bloodthirst. There was a woman walking through the corridor further ahead, having just passed the door to his room, hair pulled up on her head and with her neck exposed. She was walking beside Erwin, and while Levi realised that, it did not stop him from ignoring the man in favour of lunging for the woman's neck like a starved beast.

\---

Well, he  _did_  look good, sulking or no. It suited him, the colour as well as the cut. He looked more like a vampire than ever before, and certainy less of a mess. The haircut was questionable - needed a trim, at least - but on the whole - good. Something else to look at, other than the book; not their kind of thing, certainly. They had just looked down to turn the page when they saw motion in the corner of their eye-- he was turning, slamming the door open and suddenly, he was gone, out in the corridor. They could smell it, too.

"Lady Brzenska", he greeted warmly, bending down to almost touch his lips to her offered hand. She scoffed lightly, but didn't pull away; oh, she enjoyed their little games, he knew that well. Abrams closed the door behind her, taking her coat and disappearing as quietly as a shadow. Tea had been prepared, of course, a bite to eat on the side. Nanaba appeared silently, suddenly behind him, echanging little kisses on the cheek with Rico; Mike greeted her just as Erwin had, but it was Erwin who had the pleasure - as he put it - of escorting her to the lounge. They walked through the corridor, chattering pleasantly as only those could who had washed blood off one another's hands - figuratively, of course. And then-- a crash, steps so light and quick it seemed unreal, and  _the fucking thief_  was charging at them, eyes red and wild, fangs bared. Erwin stepped forward but beforehe could reach the other, Hanji's arm curled around Levi's neck, sharply twisting to the side with all of their weight to bring them both crashing to the floor.

\---

Almost there, he could almost taste the blood, and just as he reached out to grab at the woman's shoulders, he was pulled back, lost his footing and tumbled to the floor. Hanji was on top of him at once, their grip around his neck tightening, but he needed no air, and it was nothing but uncomfortable. Snarling, he tried to twitch around, only to get a knee to his back and a hand to grip his chin tightly, and then the mad vampire leaned down to growl in his ear again, just as they had done before. "Do you know what happens when you snap a vampire's neck?"

Levi snarled again, but with slight desperation. Fear was effective in bringing him back to his senses, and he calmed down somewhat, but the smell of blood was still there, and his throat  _burned_ , to the point that it was nearly painful. But he didn't want to drink her dry, and-- and Hanji had stopped him just now, for reasons he did not know but was suddenly grateful for. "Get her away from here." he choked out, and then stopped breathing altogether, bringing one hand up to put over his nose and mouth, as if that would help.

\---

Rico's hand gripped his arm tight for a moment; she was no weakling, but against a vampire driven by thirst she would not have stood a chance. Hanji took him down, swift and efficient, speaking in a low enough voice that he could only barely hear. Erwin held back a snarl; they were in fine company, after all. "My deepest apologies, Lady Brzenska", he said, voice tense with anger. "If you would follow Michael and Nanaba to the lounge, I will be with you shortly.

"Of course", she replied politely, as if she had been greeted by an overly enthusiastic dog rather than a desperately thirsty vampire. Her voice was steady, but a bit forced - no wonder. As she continued down the corridor she was as graceful as ever; but Erwin knew that every little thing such as this was a jab at his reputation. Forcing himself to breathe calmly for a moment, he knelt down right by Levi's head. He couldn't let this go that easily. This should have been the last drop, had he held his promise - it should have meant no more chances, should have set Levi out on the streets mute and blind and thirsting. But what sort of man would he seem if he could not even keep his own under control? "Levi", he said, anger reined carefully in. "Relax. Don't say a word."

\---

They were taking too long, putting him through more agony that was necessary - couldn't Erwin just grab the woman and drag her away from there at once? Were the niceties really needed at the moment, when he could barely stop himself from moving in Hanji's grip and trying to get away, to bite and drink and--  _fuck_. And the smell still lingered even as he heard her leaving, even if it was only in his memory, but it was more than enough. As Erwin got to his knees beside him, he glanced up, fearful as well as desperate. Erwin was angry, he had heard it in his voice, and while he thought of trying to defend himself - he couldn't help it, could he? - he remained quiet so that he wouldn't have to breathe in more of the smell.

And at Erwin's words, he stared for a moment, knowing he would relax, and terrified of what would happen once he did - would he be punished, beaten, killed? And then every worrisome thought disappeared, hand slipping from his face as he went almost limp in Hanji's hold. His eyes were still on Erwin, but half-closed now and showing only calm, and though he licked at his lips and swallowed, his mouth then remained tightly shut.

\---

Hanji let go as soon as Levi went under. They stood, brushing what little dust there was off their knees. Erwin stayed; maybe the message would be clearer this way. "You attacked my guest", he said. "I am not too surprised, but neither am I pleased, Levi. You need to learn - you drink when I let you. And until I do, you keep yourself in check. If you hadn't done that, I would have let you stay in there - well away from the Lady. Now, you're going to come with me. If I cannot show that I have you fully under control, what will happen to her trust in me? No, I won't let your lack of control ruin my relations."

"Follow me." The order was simple, but perhaps the action was not. He couldn't care less at the moment. Erwin guided Levi along with a hand at the back of his neck, Hanji right behind them. They entered the lounge, where Rico looked up at them with a carefully neutral expression. Erwin bowed shallowly. "I apologise again, my Lady. I assure you, he will not bother you again."

\---

Levi all but curled up on the floor as Hanji let go of him, just barely holding himself off the floor, not quite lying down as he listened. It did cross his mind to argue, but he couldn't bring himself to. And there was no need to, because he'd get nowhere by doing it. He lowered his gaze for a moment, but then looked right back up as Erwin continued. Silently, he shook his head, feeling some dread even as he remained very calm, torn between the different emotions but unable to say no to Erwin. But at least the calm he felt helped with resigning himself quite quickly to that he would just have to endure it somehow, and he rose slowly to his feet, not unsteady, but maybe a bit reluctant. Erwin's hand against his neck was not as cold as he remembered it to be, perhaps because the blood in his own veins ran just as cold now, and even if he feared Erwin, it was oddly comforting. As long as the other man was around, even if Levi lost it again, he could stop him with a single word, and for once that was a good thing. It also helped him remain relaxed, it seemed, as if touch made the other's words hold even more power.

He inhaled once, and then stopped breathing again as they entered the lounge, keeping his head lowered and turned just slightly in Erwin's direction without really thinking about it. He didn't look up at the lady, just stayed unmoving by Erwin's side, throat burning and mouth watering.

\---

"He is new?" Rico sipped at her tea, looking Levi over. Erwin nodded, picking up his own cup, if for nothing else than to occupy his hands. "Very much so", he replied. "Not yet aware of his strength." Hanji leaned back in a chair beside him, suddenly far more calm and controlled, as if keeping Levi from attacking their guest had been nothing more than swatting away a fly. "Nor his weaknesses", added Hanji. "Just before he asked why we pulled the curtains to shut out light..." A round of chuckles; cruel, perhaps, but not worse than anything else he had been through here. Of course he thirsted - none of the other vampires were unaware of Rico's beating heart, the warmth of her blood; but she was far more valuable as a friend as business partner, than a simple vessel. And she was aware. "Oh, there it is again. You're controlling him - christ, it's unsettling." Erwin smiled mildly in reply - "Perhaps preferable to being attacked?" - and she shrugged, vaguely affirmative. 

"He needs to learn. We won't starve him, of course. He'll drink what he needs to - but not until I allow it."

\---

Levi raised his head slightly to look up at the woman as she spoke about him so readily, and what more was; she seemed to know what they were. Evidently, there was more to her than what met the eye, and he searched his mind for her strange name, but couldn't remember ever hearing about her. Then again, if she had vampires on her side, she would most likely not need to hire thieves from the streets to get what she wanted. Neither would she be of any use to him when it came to escaping. Even so, there was no reason not to be nice and try to gain some of her favour in case it would be useful in the future.

His expression remained entirely blank as they made fun of him, much thanks to Erwin's order, certainly. And while he couldn't speak, he then gave a perfectly gentlemanly bow to the lady, and what he hoped was an apologetic look, before he went completely still once again, and still not breathing. Hopefully, it would impress her a little, but it was also his own little way to show that he was no mindless puppet, to counter Erwin's words the only way he could think of, even if it wasn't much.

\---

Erwin's gaze lingered on Levi for a moment; impressive. He had expected bitterness, or dull mindlessness - but he behaved himself quite well, all of a sudden. This one was hard to control, ranging from mad with bloodlust to docile in a moment, from fearful to stupidly brave. But as long as he kept himself still and well-behaved while in company, Erwin could solve the rest later. Confident that Levi would remain where he was, he finally relaxed a bit, leaning back in his chair.

"I turned him only last night", admitted Erwin. "Caught him sneaking about the house, attempting to steal fom me. According to his words - although they were spoken under some, er, stress - he was sent by Lord Sanes. You might want to cancel any appointments made with him; he will be occupied elsewhere for the next few days, if it is shown to be true. But - I suspect there is something more behind this. Rumours, perhaps? You must hear things hidden even from my ears, Rico." A little smile, returned mildly by her.

\---

Levi straightened up soon after, still calm, though the initial drowsiness brought on by Erwin's order was starting to disappear, giving way to other feelings, ranging from everything between how unnatural and uncomfortable it was to not breathe for so long to just wanting to punch Erwin really, really hard. He felt like some servant, standing beside where Erwin was sitting, and he was sure as hell going to show his displeasure in any way he could. _Some stress_ , what utter bullshit, and Levi let out a huff - _don't say a word_ , Erwin had said, but he wasn't speaking, yet still showed his annoyance very clearly. He had to find the loopholes, all the little ways around Erwin's words, because it was all he had.

\---

A sharp snap of his fingers conveyed a clear message; _be quiet_. He had neither time nor patience for petty rebellion - yet Levi did not seem to realise how thin the thread was that he hung by. Control - he needed to show control, and he would rather not use more forceful measures. He should have drained Levi before - should have been finished with him. Those thoughts would not quite leave him be, even as Rico spoke they lingered at the back of his mind.

\---

Levi's eyes narrowed, but he made no sounds after that, and barely any movements. He didn't want to risk stepping over that invisible line, though he admittedly had no proper idea of where that line was. But he was too frightened to do anything more for now. He wondered if it was unnerving to the lady, how still he was, how he didn't breathe. Erwin was behaving in a rather human way as he carried on the conversation with her, but Hanji was sitting quite still as well. And his eyes, although she hadn't really seemed to react to them. Either she was used to it, or the red was fading. He hoped it was.

The conversation stretched on, and Levi only listened to half of it. It was business and more business it seemed, things he had never bothered to get into any more than he had to to be able to fool nobles. Mostly, he tried to concentrate on not thinking about the burn in his throat, which really only made it a little bit worse, but-- it had to be over soon. And then finally, finally she stood to leave, bidding her goodbyes; Levi gave a small bow of his head but kept his distance.

\---

He had ordered silence to be able to forget about Levi; but no matter how still or quiet, Erwin remained aware of his presence, right behind him, a step to the side. It didn't disturb his conversation - Rico seemed to hardly notce, speaking as she would have otherwise. No great, important secrets were exchanged here; after all, it was only tea. Lives and fates of men were discussed at the very least over a decent dinner - Erwin would not be seen as cheap. As the conversation came to an end, and Rico stood to leave - preffering to see herself to the door - he wished her a good day, waited until she was well out of hearing range, and turned to Mike.

The taller man nodded, without the question ever needing to be asked. "We caught him. Quick and clean, no witnesses." Erwin grinned a little, glancing to Levi, mechanic fingers curling into a fist with anticipation. "Well then", he said. "Levi. Let us go see if it is your employer we've caught in our nets."

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some new tags for this chapter, and finally some hints at Eruri, perhaps?

Levi remained still even a while after the lady had left, head a little bowed, but with eyes and ears sharp, keeping track of everyone, perhaps Erwin in particular. His brow furrowed at Mike's words, most likely it was their next human in line to be killed to sate their cursed, constant thirst. He turned his head, gaze quickly landing on Erwin's metal hand at the sound of it moving - he'd gotten it fixed so soon, then? - and then slowly looked up into Erwin's face as he spoke. His employer-- oh. Levi had entirely forgotten about him, how he'd given his name in a vain attempt to save his own life; would he now be the one to take Sanes'? Cruel, but not surprising. Levi didn't even bother to try arguing.

Down the stairs they went, not to the cellar he'd been stuck in, but another one very similar, and Levi made sure to once again stop breathing before they reached their destination. And there he was, Lord Sanes, tied to a chair in near darkness, frightened but still with some fight in him, it seemed. How Erwin was going to prove that it was the right man, Levi didn't know; Sanes had never met him in person short of seeing him at Erwin's dinner party, and Levi only knew his appearance from spying on him to make sure he was rich enough to pay the amount of money he had offered for the painting. But he nodded once at Erwin, trying not to feel pity for the man in the chair. It was easy enough, and perhaps quite terrible of him, but all he had to do was concentrate on his own suffering.

\---

"Good afternoon, Lord Sanes", said Erwin politely, words in stark contrast to their surroundings. "I hope the chair is comfortable enough - you might be here for a while yet." The man was tense, clearly nervous, frightened - but even so, if he did recognise Levi - he was hiding it rather well.  
"What is the meaning of this?", he rasped, throat thick from the sound of it. Erwin could see his hands tense as he fought not to fidget. "That-- that slouch dragged me out of my own house in the middle of the night, and you have the nerve to keep me here--"   
"Is it not the same hospitality I showed you only a few nights ago? Not even brave enough to try by yourself - pathetic. And to think Levi here has not yet received his payment? Surely you could compensate him somehow." Almost at once as Sanes realised there was no doubt as to what he had done, he changed tactics.   
"Lord Smith", he choked out. "Surely you, surely you realise that was never my intention? What he has told you, that is some story he has made up himself - you know, he saw an opportunity, and now he's lying to save his skin..."

\---

Now when he thought about it, wasn't it this man's fault that he had ended up a vampire, that he had been beaten and frightened half to death and had more or less lost his free will to Erwin? Maybe he shouldn't feel all that sorry for him, after all. An eye for an eye. And he sure as hell was not going to let Sanes turn Erwin even more against him than he already was.  
"How do you know I have any reason to want to save my skin?" he asked quietly, a little surprised that he could speak again. "If you know nothing of what we're talking about, then you wouldn't know that I had any reason to lie to get out of trouble." He paused; he had to breathe if he wanted to continue, and it was like breathing in fire, at the same time as it smelled like the most delicious meal to a starving man, yet he wasn't allowed to eat it. Or was he? Had Erwin meant what he said about him being compensated? Could he drink? He swallowed hard, then turned to look up at the other man, an almost painful expression on his face and hands clenched at his sides. "Can I drink?" he choked out.

\---

Can I drink? It wasn't the most polite request, not as finely expressed as some would have - but it was progress, and it made Erwin more proud than he had expected. He glanced down at Levi, and his gaze was almost fond. Clever, certainly. And for now that mind of his, those fangs were under his control, at his disposal. Brilliant.  
Meanwhile, Sanes seemed to have found his tongue. "You were with him this whole time, weren't you?" He spoke to Levi now, eyes wide and voice far too loud. "You were! Fucking traitor, that's what you are, luring nobles to fall for your games - what do you get out of this?" He turned back to Erwin, accusing wildly. "Money? Land?"  
Erwin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Proof enough, I say. Levi - do not drain him. Leave him conscious still for Hanji. There are matters still to be solved. Remember that. You may drink." He stepped back, nose wrinkling faintly with distaste - the man's blood was certainly not to his standards, but neither was it dangerous to drink. Years of tobacco use, quite a bit of alcohol - but it would not harm Levi. As time went by, he would learn to distinguish between types of blood, and to develop a taste of his own. In this early stage, nourishment was the only priority.

\---

Levi completely ignored Sanes' words, hanging onto Erwin's like his life depended on them. He nodded once, tense and so very thirsty, and then he turned and walked quickly through the room. "Shut up." he snarled at Sanes, ripping the expensive clothing that covered his wrist. This would never have happened if this man had not hired him in the first place, and while that wasn't much to justify what he was about to do, it was a slightly comforting thought nonetheless. He kneeled beside the chair, and then bit down, a bit neater than he had managed last time, and drank. His grip was tight on Sanes' arm as he took one deep mouthful after the other, and while he had no idea how much he could drink before the man would fall unconscious, he eventually noticed when the man stopped screaming and struggling, and very reluctantly forced himself to stop. Every drop was like new life in his cold, dead body, and he didn't want to stop, not while there was still a beating heart keeping that blood fresh and alive. And it wasn't half as bad to drain this man as it was an innocent young man or woman. Still, Erwin's words had been very clear.  
Quickly, he pushed himself back to his feet and turned away from Sanes, not wanting to see what state he was in, and then went for the door, fleeing the thick, metallic smell that filled the room. Erwin should have nothing to fear as far as him escaping went; it was still early day outside, and Levi wasn't going any further than the foot of the stairs that led down to the basement. There he leaned against the wall, feeling quite full now when the smell of blood wasn't so strong anymore.

\---

As soon as he gave permission, and not a moment before it, Levi dove down for Sane's wrist, as The Lord twisted, screaming all the louder - possibly Levi's hard grip had broken his fragile, humans bones. Sane's words became incoherent; pleas and threats, choking and gargling noises as he near swallowed his own tongue in desperation. Erwin had learned not to listen; he hardly even heard the words, but kept a careful eye on the vessel. Screaming meant life; but as soon as he quieted, it was time for Levi to stop. Erwin would not have been surprised if he had to remind Levi; but before he could do so, the vampire stood, turning abruptly to flee the room. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, Erwin waited a moment - and yes, his steps stopped soon enough. He smiled to himself; at least now, all was going according to plan.

"Hanji", he said, nodding towards the near-unconscious man in the chair. "All yours. Get what you can from him - inheritance, anything to reasonably compensate for the painting. And perhaps a little bonus; the stables need repairing." Humour in this situation might seem wrong; but little did that matter. "Better?", he asked Levi as he closed the door to keep the noise to a minimum, gesturing for Levi to follow as he walked up the stairs.

\---

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand to make sure there were no blood on his face, he then sighed, shoulders slumping for a moment now when he had a few seconds to himself. It was strange, feeling so strong and practically tireless, but yet somehow exhausted at the same time. If only becoming a vampire had done the same to emotions as it had done to sleep; make them into something he could indulge in only if he felt like it.  
He straightened up at the sound of footsteps, heavy enough that it could only be Erwin, and then turned towards him. He waited until he was a few steps ahead before he followed, scowling at Erwin's back. At least he was allowed to walk behind him now, though that only meant Erwin feared him less. "Not really, no." he answered quietly, ever as careful, though there might have been a small hint of sarcasm. "I'm still thirsty, and I'm still stuck with you." It was as much an attempt at a joke as it was the truth, but at least he was being honest. And apart from a slightly poisonous tongue, Levi was being very obedient at the moment.

\---

Still pleased with the improvement from before, Erwin couldn't quite bring himself to care to correct him. Two steps forward; he could allow a step back, now that Levi was starting to behave himself. "The thirst won't fade. You will get used to it; it will not be as apparent. All in due time." They reached the top of the stairs - Levi right behind him, silent. Erwin glanced over his shoulder.  
Praise would hardly be appreciated. Still-- "Learn to behave around guests, and you can afford that snark in private. I can hardly keep you under all the time - and I don't think you would much like that either."

\---

A shrug of his shoulders, and then a more polite nod. "Hanji told me." Pity Erwin hadn't, before he'd turned him into a vampire. Then again, Levi had had no other choice than this, really. It had to at least be better than lying around somewhere, weak from blood loss but not quite dead, waiting for nothing but the next time a vampire would come and drink a few mouthfuls. He held back a shudder, and then shook his head quickly at Erwin's next words. "Is there anyone that would?" But it was very much a rhetorical question, and Levi could even admit to himself that there had been a certain feeling of comfort both times Erwin had made him calm down now. He didn't like getting robbed of his own free will, but he knew he would probably be even more of an emotional wreck if Erwin hadn't helped him sleep, and then to have done what he did earlier instead of resorting to actually hurting him as a punishment, it was again almost considerate.  
Levi wanted to ask why Erwin did that, because wouldn't it be far more easy and quick to just beat him into submission rather than deal with his stubbornness? A dog afraid of its master would be no less dangerous than one who had been taught what to do through positive reinforcement. And while Erwin certainly had used both methods, it was still strange. But perhaps Erwin was eventually expecting to gain his loyalty and trust like he had Hanji's, Mike's and Nanaba's? Even stranger.

\---

Hanji? Erwin supposed they had never been much for proper titles and the like, and still it was odd hearing their name from Levi's lips. Ah - maybe that was because Levi had mostly called them bloodsuckers, or... Hm. Distracted for a moment by the question, he left that thought for later. "Enjoy it? Certainly. Did you not, when I made you sleep?" Some called it an acquired taste, but there were those who naturally responded better; and with Levi, that simple word had had far better effect on him than many others. "You have not yet met Moblit - has Hanji mentioned him? Hmm. Enjoyment in its purest form. If it was his choice, he might remain in that dreamlike state indefinitely. Alas, he cannot, or he would be of very little use to our cause."  
But there was something more. "Hm - I remembered just before. You called us something, there when we first met. What language was that?"

\---

Levi's eyes narrowed, but he couldn't really argue. "It's not the word I would have used." he muttered. "Relief, maybe, not enjoyment." As for Moblit, he sounded more and more like some madman, but then Hanji was mad as well, so they must make a good team. He would see for himself sooner or later, hopefully, unless Hanji did not consider their bet to be of much importance, or in case Erwin found out what they were doing and put a stop to it.  
But oh - Erwin remembered that, did he? Levi hardly did; so much had happened since then and his mind had been so clouded with fear and terror. " _Aluka_. It means 'leech' in Hebrew." Some satisfaction sneaked its way into his voice, even if he was a leech now as well. "One of several names for vampires." Erwin would have undoubtedly noticed that he had an accent, it would have been clearer during times of real distress and panic than it was right now, but it was always there. Levi had seen no use in hiding it from the moment Erwin had called him out on not being a lord, so he wasn't about to start now.

\---

"Hebrew." His voice thoughtful, fingers of his right hand absentmindedly moving as if turning pages, filing through old memories. That was not one of the languages he had learned; though with a life as long as his had been, he knew enough of others to recognise it to some extent. "It has some similarities with Arabic, does it not?" Faint clues he had picked up, guesses and theories. What better way to learn? Maybe he could make use of Levi's skills until it was safe to set him out to hunt. Knowledge is power, they said.  
"What a distasteful word. Though one can hardly blame humans for their folly. You are already one of our kind, but in time you will come around to see just how much. Let's leave Hanji to do their work. You'll come with me for now - I could use another set of hands. Is your handwriting decent?"

\---

His eyes were on Erwin's hand at once, wary as well as thoughtful, wondering about the damage he had done to it, who it was that had fixed it. But since it seemed unlikely Erwin would do him any harm at the moment, fear also gave way to curiosity. How did it work, and had he lost his arm or gotten rid of it on purpose to be able to replace it with such an excellent weapon? Was there more hidden inside than the knife he had seen briefly when he'd tried to steal the painting? Did Erwin fix it himself, or did he have someone who did it for him? But Levi didn't ask, didn't want to remind Erwin of how he had broken it before.

"Hell if I know." He shrugged. He only really knew the languages he had learned as a child, and had no knowledge of any others, so even if Arabic was similar to Hebrew, it was completely unfamiliar to him. He huffed quietly in distaste as Erwin kept speaking, still capable of seeing what they did from a human's perspective, even if he no longer was one. And he could hardly blame them for calling them leeches. But he followed Erwin, certainly not wanting to stay anywhere near Sanes while he was still alive with fresh blood running through his veins. But he hesitated at the second question, wondering if he should be honest or not, but then Erwin would see for himself if he wanted Levi to write anything for him. "Depends on what you mean with decent." he mumbled, as if scared Erwin would punish him for having bad handwriting. "It's-- readable. For most."

\---

He sighed. Perhaps not as useful, then. "Decent for writing letters, so 'readable' won't do at all. Pity." A muffled scream was audible even through two closed doors - Erwin looked back with a faint expression of distaste. Might be good for Levi, in any case. He had only so very narrowly escaped a similar fate, and would do well to be reminded it still loomed over him. Erwin had made no promises; and if he had, he would be under no obligations to keep them.

They reached his office door soon enough; but as he had laid a hand on the handle, he turned to Levi. "See this as a test. One more attempt at causing harm - to me or yourself, trying to steal things, ruining my work - anything as such will earn you a swift trip back down into that cellar, and to Hanji." He didn't wait for a reply; opening the door, he sat down at his desk. "Sort these, then", he said, sliding a pile of opened letters to the opposite side of the heavy oak desk. "Invitations to various events - by date there, anyone a Viscount or higher in a second pile. You can read, can you not?" Not that it mattered much. He would have a trusted vampire look his work over later - this was, as he had said, a test.

\---

Levi did not feel particularly sorry for not being all that good at writing once it seemed it didn't really matter to Erwin; it would just be less boring paperwork for him. At the scream, Levi felt proud of himself for giving no other reaction than a faint falter in his steps, before he determinedly kept going, eyes set on Erwin's back. He still felt very little pity for Sanes, knowing the man was far from innocent. He'd done much worse than hiring thieves to steal paintings, and he was also the one who had gotten Levi into the seemingly inescapable mess he was in. Levi also remembered how he'd tried to pass the blame for everything onto him just a while ago. But indifference turned to horror at Erwin's words, and Levi just nodded, tight-lipped and tense. Did Erwin have to keep reminding him? Had he gotten too relaxed around him just now, spoken too freely, so that he'd seen the need to drag him back down into that state of constant fear that tore at all his defences and made him feel so exhausted - Levi  _hated_ it.

Taking one look around the room and realising it must be Erwin's office, he then hurried forward to sit down in the chair opposite the other man without looking at him and got to work, movements as sharp as they could be without him tearing paper.  _Yes_ , he could bloody well read, if he could write that much should be pretty obvious, should it not? Fuck Erwin and his attitude, fuck whatever control he had over him; Levi could bet anything this was just another way to boast about how much better he was than a simple thief from the streets, with all these fancy letters from various Lords and other stupid nobles. But while Levi was no noble, he wasn't stupid either, and he had done everything he could to perfect his act to be able to be as good a thief as he was. He knew enough to do what Erwin asked of him, and he sorted the letters into two very neat piles, double-checking everything while still working quickly and efficiently, and in complete - if quite angry - silence.

\---

As Erwin wrote, preferring to handle communication around more delicate matters himself, Levi sorted the invitations. Dinners, weddings, the odd funeral among simple invitations for afternoon tea or gentlemen's gatherings. None of those events were only what they were called; politics, business and power were deftly woven in between each cup of tea, each bouquet or coffin. And so, one had to very carefully choose which events to attend to; rivaling Lords might set out invitations for the same date, and one's attendance might be weighed against another's - it was a complicated game, with intricate as well as unspoken rules.

Now, Levi seemed entirely ungrateful for receiving such an important task. His movements were sharp, anger evident in each gesture, each breath. He was as tense as a bowstring, and while Erwin might have been part of the cause, it was distracting and quite irritating. But still; he was behaving rather well. Apart from his attitude he was very obedient - sorting carefully, working as efficiently as Erwin did. It certainly didn't warrant a trip back to Hanji, but neither could he stand this bristling anger. Perhaps he would calm down-- but no, he would not for quite some time, and Erwin had no patience for this. In any case, Levi had near finished his work. Without thinking, he snapped his fingers and pointed sharply to the floor beside him.

\---

Levi was left to work in undisturbed silence for quite a while, and most of his attention was at the task he had been given, even if Erwin always was at the back of his mind, as well as the fear, the anger, all of it eating at him, temper rising only to be pushed down again by the threat of being sent down to Hanji weighing heavily on his mind. He almost startled then, at the snap of fingers, and quickly looked up from the near completed piles, eyes on Erwin's face at first before going to his hand, his finger pointing to the floor. And for a moment, he could only stare. The order was very clear, and while it was hard to not obey, that was mostly due to fear. But it wasn't a spoken order, so it held no power over him. Or it shouldn't have, were it not for that he knew it would most likely get a lot worse should he not obey.

He rose slowly, fingers tightly gripping the edge of the desk, trying to figure out what he should do. Obey or refuse to - but then wouldn't that only lead to a spoken order that he had no choice but to give in to? He kicked the chair aside - though not hard enough for it to topple over - and walked around the desk, but then stopped just barely out of reach from Erwin, suddenly looking a bit distressed.  _Why_ was a stupid question, Erwin did whatever the hell he wanted without needing a reason, but-- "What are you going to do?"

\---

Levi came closer; and even though he hesitated, he was aware, mind as clear as ever; or at least not disturbed by Erwin's control. "I intend to keep working. Levi." The words were firm, especially as he spoke the other's name, leaving no place for doubt, for questioning. "You have done well enough - technically. But you are far too worked up, too stressed. It distracts me."

Fuck - since when had he grown so soft around Levi? Praise and explanations? "I won't stand for being questioned. Stay down for a while. Still and quiet. I'll make you relax if I must - perhaps that is the best idea in any case. Hm--" oh, there was an idea. Perhaps cruel, but necessary. If he made Levi choose, either answer would mean surrender. He did not seem to be in much of a defiant mood, now; apart from the worry, he had obeyed. Apart from the sharp words and thinly conveyed insults, he had followed. "You may choose. Stay down on your own volition, or have me do it. Might be some time yet, so choose wisely."

\---

He wasn't going to hurt him. Not physically at least, which was what Levi had feared, and when it came to his pride he had so very little left that it hardly mattered. He took a step closer, at once much more resigned, but then hesitated when Erwin did.  _If I must_  - well he would bloody well have to, wouldn't he, because Levi was not going to be able to relax on his own. And there was also his answer, without much indecisiveness, because just like he had said; while he might not enjoy it, it would be a great relief to not have to be so tense, to not have to think and fear so much for a while, even if it meant giving up control to Erwin. It wasn't like he had any to begin with.

Close enough for Erwin to touch now if he reached out, Levi gave a noncommittal shrug, shoulders tense to the point that it looked painful, teeth clenched together, gaze on Erwin extremely wary for being so close, but determined all the same. "Do it." he said, quietly but clearly. And really - his eyes gleamed briefly at the thought in faint satisfaction - it felt like less of a surrender to have Erwin do it.

\---

He would pretend it had not been phrased as an order; and Erwin told himself it was merely because he had no time to deal with this. But he was in no hurry. This was something else, even if he wasn't eager to admit it. This was nothing like his relation to Mike, or to others he met with similar motives. This was control, over a rebellious new recruit, a murderous thief. But he asked for his order, and Erwin lay the palm of his hand against the other's throat as he gave it.

He could feel the tension leave the other's neck; and as his hand slid down, pressing down on his shoulder, Levi's legs gave way so smoothly, bending under his touch, settling on his knees under his hand. On a whim, Erwin's fingers lifted his chin just so, to see that clear-eyed gaze so familiar in all those he had let sink down as Levi did. But as he met his gaze, he became immediately uncomfortable, drawing his hand back and turning to his work again. Too close. Too familiar.

\---

Maybe he could understand this unknown Moblit some, after all. He twitched faintly away from Erwin's touch at first, but stayed put, and it was well worth it once fear and tension was so easily forced to give way to relief and calm. Feeling the pressure on his shoulder, he dropped to his knees at once,as if it was the most natural thing to do. He breathed out along with the movement, a deep, relaxed sigh as he settled on the floor beside Erwin's chair, hands in his lap. It was truly relief like he had never quite felt before, and considering the alternative, he did not mind it at all, but almost felt thankful for it. He wouldn't have been half as composed while not in this state had he not been given these moments of calm.

Fingers beneath his chin, firm yet light, and he raised his gaze a second slower than Erwin tilted his head up, a little dazed, but still attentive, all anger and defiance gone. And as Erwin so quickly pulled his hand away, Levi merely blinked slowly in faint confusion, but then simply bowed his head again, leaning one shoulder against the side of the chair and settling there, quiet and quite comfortable, a stark contrast to the tension moments ago.

\---

At once the tension was gone; and perhaps now he would be able to concentrate on his work. He picked up the nearest pile Levi had sorted, thumbing through the papers and not finding nearly as many mistakes as he had expected. There was a Count lost among the more common, a couple of dates mixed up; but nothing else. Humming thoughtfully, he set the pile back down. The silence that had settled over the room in lieu of Levi's near-aggressive paper sorting was pleasant; sometimes he could hear the other vampire breathe, though that was likely only force of habit. Delicately he picked his pen up, metal fingers careful around the fragile thing, and begun to write his acceptance letters.

It was not until half an hour later that he realised his hand had found its way into Levi's hair, petting him absentmindedly like one would a cat. His eyes widened in surprise - fuck, that was not at all what he had intended. He had only had Levi kneel so close by to be able to keep him in sight, but now he was leaning against the chair, still and quiet enough that Erwin had forgotten he was even there. For the second time he pulled his hand away, curling it into a fist upon the armrest.  _No bloody touching._  He could still smell the ink on him, could still vividly recall his attempted murders. He needed Levi under control, not the other way around.

\---

With nothing to disturb him, Levi stayed in that state of blissful calm and relaxation, almost sank deeper, curling up slightly and wrapping one arm around himself. It was perhaps not one of the most comfortable places to sit on, but Levi didn't think about it, only listening absentmindedly to the scratch of pen against paper, the occasional breath and movement of the bigger vampire. After a while he even closed his eyes, forgetting that he didn't at all trust the other, and sighed again, leaning even heavier against the chair. And that's when he felt fingers in his hair - not grabbing tightly and wrenching his head to the side followed by fangs tearing into his skin - but soft, kind touching, combing through the strands in the most pleasant manner. Levi didn't understand why Erwin would do such a thing, but neither did he feel any need to try and figure it out.

But then it stopped, the fingers disappeared, and Levi's eyes came open, confused and a little distressed. Without thinking, he reached out, his own hand brushing against Erwin's leg in a silent question as well as a demand for him to continue. Levi didn't have sense enough to be scared at the moment, but he knew the touching had been reassuring, and he knew that he didn't like the sudden absence of it.

\---

His gaze intent on the paper and only that, shoulders tense as he tried to somehow unthink what he had done, he was startled at the touch, however gentle. He thought to simply slap the hand away, but calmed himself; it was he who had initiated this. And if Levi had sunk so deep that he was not even aware of his actions, then it was his own fault, but Erwin's responsibility. He could hardly deny it. Chances were, if Levi was so deep down, so lost that he looked like a kicked puppy because Erwin had stopped petting him, he wouldn't understand lingering anger. It was like - much like training a dog. They lived in the present, and so did Levi, for now. Dogs didn't understand grudges or irritation - they needed response, clear and direct.

But what had begun as a simple wish for peace and quiet, had turned somehow into Levi sitting at his feet, silently requesting to be touched. He wouldn't remember this clearly, would he? Perhaps he would come back to his senses later, without much of a clear memory, but a lingering feeling of safety? That would certainly serve his cause; the sooner he recognised himself as one of them, the better. And so, Erwin's hand found its way back into Levi's hair, and his mind to work, once again in peace.

\---

It took Erwin a while, and Levi reached out again, touch more insistent, palm lingering against the other's leg rather than letting go at once. And there was almost some desperation to the movement, a sense of urgency; he didn't just like being touched, he _needed_ it. What would happen if Erwin turned him down, he didn't know, but he didn't want to find out. But fortunately, he didn't have to. The fingers returned to his hair, and all tension left him once again as he settled against the side of the chair, breathing slow and calm. His hand remained outstretched, fingers grasping the soft material of Erwin's trousers very gently.

\---

Stroking his hair was no hardship, after all. Physical contact, in all forms, was essential for humans - and no less so for vampires. The lack of a beating heart did not mean a lesser need for comfort. So he let his hand stay, keeping him focused on his work, even as Levi held onto his trousers. Perhaps because he did, rather. Having something to distract his hand worked wonders; letter after letter piled up to his right along the invitations. Acceptance, refusal, all equally polite in their phrasing.

Perhaps he should get the accounting out of the way, while he was at it. He was comfortable enough here, and - much like with a cat who had found a new sleeping spot, he was somehow hesitant to disturb Levi's rest. It was ridiculous, he was aware - but Levi was not, and so no one was there to witness his moment of weakness. A little while longer.

\---

Levi could have fallen asleep like that, were it not for how he concentrated on holding on to Erwin's trousers. Deep down, he might know he was way out of line, that this was madness, that he was showing weakness and being vulnerable, but even if he had attempted to pull away, he probably wouldn't have been able to. After days and days of nothing but fear and panic, harsh words and blows both physical and to the mind, he craved this just as much as he did blood, if not more. Even the thirst seemed to have diminished, to the point where he could nearly forget it from time to time as he sat there, not knowing how much time that had passed. But he didn't want the moment to end, didn't want to go back to fear and discomfort.

\---

No; that would have to be enough. The last time, and the time before that Levi had surfaced on his own; but his time he seemed entirely willing to stay there indefinitely. So much for not enjoying it. But it couldn't last - Erwin had things to do, and this couldn't become a habit. Unprofessional. He gripped a handful of hair a little tighter, tilting Levi's head back enough to find eye contact. "Come back", he murmured, though command was clear in his voice. "Come back up, now."

 


	10. Chapter 10

The soft, steady and constant touch of Erwin's fingers changed all too suddenly, and at the same speed as Levi's head was tilted back, just as quickly did his mood change. From comfort and calm to confusion and distress, not at all understanding, hand slipping from Erwin's trousers to start reaching for the hand in his hair. But he hesitated as the other vampire spoke and - letting out a quick breath - he obeyed.

Erwin might just as well have kicked him. Fear and panic returned at once; he was much too close to Erwin, and he wrenched himself out of the other's grip and nearly threw himself across the floor to get some distance between them, fangs bared and with a snarl at his lips. It died quickly, however, replaced by quick breathing and a rather lost look in his eyes as they flickered towards the door. There was suddenly something big stuck in his throat; he quickly swallowed it down and forced himself to stop acting like he was out of breath, because there was no such thing for a vampire. He really shouldn't be able to tremble and feel unsteady either, should he?  _Fuck_. "Can I go back to my room?" he asked, forcing his voice to be steady, eyes still on the door rather than Erwin.

\---

Oh, to hell with it all. Had even that been too rough for him? He didn't have time to coddle him, and at the same time Levi was clearly too lost in his own distress to be able to handle this on his own. Hopefully it would get better with time - and that he asked permission so politely was certainly a step in the right direction. "No", he replied, scooting his chair back and folding his hands, fingers intertwining. "You may rest here for a bit until you come back to your senses. You still cling to your human instincts, and you will calm down before I release you." He sighed. "Take that armchair, if you need your distance."

\---

Fuck, no. He couldn't stay, he couldn't show Erwin this side of him, except-- what had just happened? He'd been on the floor, leaning against Erwin's chair with his fingers in his hair, and like some fucking dog in need of attention, he had  _liked_ it. Oh, he remembered it all, if not with much detail, that was what made it even worse. Because now everything he had just had was gone, the calm and the comfort like he had never felt it before had been nothing but a brief illusion, and it was almost enough to break him. He didn't want Erwin to see that. And so he wouldn't.

He walked to the armchair and sat down, swallowing hard, one hand curling upon the armrest. Head turned away from the other vampire, he stopped breathing, becoming still and unmoving apart from the occasional, faint tremble. His other arm was wrapped securely around his own middle, protective as well as a desperate attempt at holding himself steady and strong so that he wouldn't fall apart entirely.

\---

Somewhat bitterly Erwin thought to himself that it would have been a better idea to let him stay under. Keep him relaxed and pliant, in a mindset where he didn't need to think, didn't have time to plan another attempt on Erwin. But that was never really an option; Erwin had already liberally used his abilities; if he continued at this rate it would lose the effect, either leaving Levi more or less immune against his will, or making him unable to leave the mindset and never surface again. One dangerous, the other useless.

He stole a glance; Levi was curled up on himself, stiff and still and passively defensive. He hadn't expected such a rough awakening, either. Confused, most likely - and frightened. "How do you feel?" It sounded much too soft, too caring, but he had no wish to stay here for longer than was necessary, either.

\---

Why did he ask? So he could use it, laugh at him, taunt him? Well, Levi sure as hell was not going to tell him how he'd almost felt on the verge of tears just now, because he could barely admit it to himself. What exactly that upset him so much, he wasn't even sure; he'd been hit in the face by cruel reality several times in his life already, so he should be used to it. But perhaps he'd never gone from being quite that relaxed to so suddenly scared and confused. Erwin had been brushing his  _fingers_ through his  _hair_ , for fuck's sake...

"Why were you-- doing that?" He grabbed at the armrest even tighter, nails digging into the leather as more words spilled out before he could stop them, barely thinking them through. "Why did you make me sleep before, why did you stay with me throughout the night when you turned me? Why do you seem to care one second, to then not give a shit the next? If it's some kind of fucking torture to keep me nice and obedient, it's pretty damn unnecessary when you've already broken me, isn't it? You're a sick man." Well, he wasn't a man, was he? He was a vampire, and Levi had just said way too much. He curled up on himself even more, as if expecting a blow to come next, whether physical or spoken. But then there was almost no difference between the two anymore.

\---

It didn't help; no, rather it had the opposite effect. Levi seemed to close in on himself even more, anger evident in the line of his tense shoulders, in the way his fingers flexed. Yet it was not anger as he had shown it before; he didn't snarl like a cornered beast, not did he attempt anything; he stayed where he was, and really - that should have made him satisfied. It should have assured Erwin that at last he had won the fight over this rebellious little thief... but the sweetness of victory was nowhere to be found. 

Instead, as Levi spit out those words he seemed incapable of keeping inside, while clinging to the chair, to himself, as if looking for protection - then Erwin suddenly experienced a need to  _protect_ , followed closely by the realisation that he was the one Levi wanted protection  _from_. And it shouldn't affect him; he shouldn't let himself be so easily manipulated. His gaze was steady when he considered Levi; his thoughts not. "I do", he said, and in the same moment regretted it, yet knew he couldn't stop. "I bloody  _do_  care!"

Fuck. Well, no turning back now, was there?  _"I_  turned you; you drank from  _my_  wrist, slept by  _my_  order. This bond is not one-sided." Gritting his teeth, he stood up abruptly, pacing over to the other side of the room - attempting to hide his distress, and failing all the more for his effort to. "If you are well enough to be speaking like that,  _you may leave."_

\---

He certainly got a blow, though it didn't hurt him as much as it surprised him. He--  _what_? Levi turned, slowly - so tense that his neck almost hurt - to look towards the other vampire, finding it both a relief and unsettling to find his back facing him now. He  _cared_? And he  _may_ leave, rather than having no choice? Was he honest, or was it merely more pretended kindness so that he could turn on him again later?

"What does that fucking  _mean_ , then?" Suddenly, he felt so very tired, and sounded like it too; there was a brief rasp to his voice that he decided to promptly try and ignore, only for his voice to tremble slightly as he continued, still speaking clearly, but much quieter. Because he needed to know. "Because I get the torture, it's all very clever and perfectly executed, and it's having the desired effect, isn't it? I know how it works, I've done rather horrible things to others myself, though not quite like you do it. More like what Hanji does. But--" He sighed quietly, bowing his head and closing his eyes for a short moment, and then kept them on the floor. Once again, Erwin had pushed him until he was desperately begging, and the second time was even worse than the first. " _Please, stop_. I can't fucking stand it. I'll do whatever you want, I won't-- I won't speak out of line or-- I'll try not to lose control around-- humans." Although that was fucking close to impossible, and he was probably speaking out of line at the moment. Fuck.

\---

But he didn't; no, even without looking over his shoulder Erwin could easily tell that he remained in his seat. His voice was just faintly unsteady; suppressed anger, he supposed. Fear, insecurity, shattered trust that he had so quickly built up as he leaned against Erwin's leg; now it was all for naught, and the newly turned vampire seemed even more resentful for it. "I need you under control", he said after a pause, far too long. "I need you not attempting my murder, and I need you to realise the importance of following orders, and not giving the slightest hint as to what we are in front of others. Lady Brzenska knows; but had it been any other guest, that would have been impossible to explain." And that was not what the other had asked; because Erwin was bloody avoiding a question he would do well to answer. He could afford that, seeing as Levi had been brought to this point already.

"But as well as that, I - I never recruit under these circumstances, Levi." His name - wasn't that a good thing to say? "Those turned are always willing, and not only to save their lives. You have seen the others - they are my friends, and trusted comrades. I have turned a few of those here, and they respect me, follow without threats; and I care about each one, because I took their lives, and I let them live anew. As I have done with you - as I would have treated you, were it not for your attempts. If I am cruel, it is becuase I must protect those who are mine." Finally he turned, leaning back against the shelves. "You would not like being treated impersonally; you know that as much as I do. I will not stop, because I must do what I need. It's easier to distance yourself from pain and suffering -  _I know that_  - but you cannot afford distance, here."

\---

The floor was much easier to look at than Erwin, because he could think more freely with his head turned away, he could furrow his eyebrows and be confused and angry without having to fear what the other vampire would think about it. Now, if only he could make sense of anything Erwin was saying, if his brain could just fucking start to work like it usually did... And yet he still settled on anger in the end, because it was always the easiest way out, even now when he had to hold back out of fear of being hurt for saying too much. But what did the damn Lady Brzenska have to do with this in the first place? "In case you didn't realise, I didn't  _want_ to drink from her. I don't want to drink from anyone. Maybe next time you shouldn't walk a human past the room in which there's a newly turned vampire, because I think you'd spare them plenty of discomfort, but perhaps you've forgotten how overpowering this thirst is? I fucking  _hate_ it." He swallowed, breathing suddenly a little quicker again, throat burning just because he was speaking about it. And that was another thing he hadn't felt while Erwin's fingers had combed through his hair--  _damn it_.

He slumped against the back of the armchair, even closed his eyes, because being wary of Erwin was a stupid, wasted effort in his situation. If this was what Moblit felt, there was no wonder he wanted to be in that untroubled state at all times. Levi wanted it quite badly at the moment as well, might even have begged for it, had Erwin given any hint that he would do it to him again. But with the conversation carrying on, and with it being quite serious and important, Levi wasn't about to ask for anything. And he was still angry.

"What did you expect from me, though? A loyal dog from day one, after you had locked me up and tortured me?" But despite his words, Erwin was making sense now, finally. To protect his own; Levi could sympathise with that, accept and agree with it even. Slowly, he opened his eyes again, staring straight ahead at nothing, shoulders slumped, tiny and exhausted and lost. And then he reached out to Erwin again, though with words rather than a hand this time, looking for guidance and help. Because who else was he supposed to turn to? "Then what do I do? If I give in to everything I feel, I'd be of no use to anyone. I'd think you'd rather kill me than have a useless nervous wreck of a man around trying to scrub down every surface of your already clean mansion."

\---

Erwin had turned many before Levi; he had forced humans to obey his commands, he had led soldiers and warriors, assassins and even thieves; but never had it become this complicated. Ever since he had become a Lord, and thereby a leader, he had strived for security and efficiency - never recruited one he did not trust, or one he could trust himself to keep under control. Those who had not served their cause as vampires or allies had been drained or killed. But this foul-mouthed, defiant thief was so stubborn - so full of life, of will, after a treatment that would have broken any common man. "Need or want - you must learn to control it. You are making progress, Levi." He didn't elaborate - Levi remembered as well as he how he had asked permission just before. 

A loyal dog? Yes - perhaps he had, naively, expected that. "I did", he said, jaw set. "I was proven wrong. But I am devoted to my cause. Killing you would mean defeat - you asked for this, but also I agreed. And I do not demand that you respect me, if you can pretend to well enough in company. I do not demand that you enjoy my company, or agree with my tastes - but I will have your loyalty and obedience, and you shall have out protection and care in return." Scrub down-- oh. Perhaps he should not make assumptions; but he recognised that, and it might be useful - in one way or another, depending on Levi's behaviour. "You see dirt where there is none." It was half question, half statement - Erwin thought himself to know the answer already.

\---

Again with his name; it was so confusing, so personal. Like a lot of other things Erwin did, from licking his neck before biting, to brushing through his hair like he had done-- and Levi really didn't seem to be able to let that go.  _Fuck_. He shook his head, and lowered his gaze again. "It's still very difficult. Couldn't you - or someone else - at least warn me next time? I've got little chance to resist it when it catches me off guard like that, the smell..." He shivered, and there was a brief flash of tongue as he licked once across his lips, swallowing.

Erwin was demanding quite a bit, though. Perhaps it was ironic, how he had all of Levi's respect, but none of his loyalty - at least not now, though he'd had plenty of it just a while ago. He turned to look at the other man, careful and almost timid, not bothering to give him an answer when he knew that what he had to say would not be close enough to what Erwin wanted and expected of him. Instead, he waited in silence for a while, giving Erwin time to think on that last part, before he nodded, a faintly nauseous look on his face. "Yes. All of London is crawling with dirt. It's everywhere, even in the air." Maybe, if he was ever allowed to leave this mansion, the smell of it outside would be even stronger with his new vampire senses. Quickly, he moved a hand to rub his palm hard over his other arm where he'd pierced his own skin with a pen and spilled ink across it, almost as if in pain. But he wasn't, he was thinking of the ink stains, though he didn't look down or attempt to pull away the shirt sleeve to look properly. It had never really been necessary for him to see the dirt to know that it was there. "Do you know how many diseases that can spread through the blood? It hardly matters if I'm immune to it as a vampire or not, I'm still _drinking_ it, it's still  _inside_ me." He blinked a few times, eyes widening for a moment and hand tightening around his arm as he fought to keep it together, breath speeding up once again as he pulled it in between tightly clenched teeth.  _This_ was why he had to distance himself from thinking too much, this was  _exactly why_. " _Fuck_ Sanes and his  _stupid_ painting.  _Fuck you_."

\---

Being warned was no odd wish; Erwin agreed, and thought no more of it. He might not clearly remember every detail from when he was turned; but yes, control had been a difficult yet essential thing to learn. He  _knew_  that. He always gave new vampires time to adjust, but with Levi everything was a fight, a struggle for control and power, and a general neglect from Erwin's side. He needed to keep his distance, not get too involved, and sometimes that manifested as thoughtlessness, as cruelty. But before he could even think of setting that into words, Levi riled up again, even more stressed than before, even angrier, and - what had he just said?

"What", he bit out, anger rising yet again because this time he had fucking  _tried_  to be reasonable, and everything had turned out worse, and for all his skills and experience he could not make sense of Levi, no matter how hard he tried. He heard footsteps, and he heard them quicken as he straightened - barely had he taken two steps towards Levi before there was a knock on the door. 

Mike's voice was calm, steady; and so even Erwin stopped, granting the request to enter. He was angry, and Levi seemed to want to start this whole charade over again, but Mike - Mike was steady and calm and not fucking infuriating.

\---

Oh. Erwin didn't like that. That had been out of line, way out of line, and the other vampire's one word was short and sharp and he was straightening up to approach, stepping closer - Levi still clutched his arm tightly in one hand, but met the other's gaze with an unwavering one of his own. He was scared, yes, breath short and uneven even as he bared fangs and tensed to spring should he need to defend himself, but as long as he didn't lash out, as long as he remained still, Erwin might not hurt him. If he was clever enough, if he truly cared like he had said he did, he wouldn't raise a hand against Levi, not now. Levi was almost ready to put enough trust in the other vampire to believe that. But then there was a knocking on the door, and they both tensed, though Levi's breath remained uneven as his eyes darted to the door and back to Erwin.

The door was opened by Mike, with Hanji peeking inside from behind him, looking curious and serious all at the same time. Then they quickly slipped past the tall man to approach Levi, hands held up in surrender, to then crouch down some distance away from the armchair, gazing up at Levi with a searching, but not unkind look in their eyes. Levi looked back, trembling faintly but still defensive. "Poor bastard's almost having an anxiety attack." Hanji glanced up at Erwin from their spot on the floor, rather unconcerned, almost a little cold. Their hair was even messier than usual, their newly changed shirt seemed to have been buttoned in a hurry. They seemed to resemble an animal much more than a human, even more so than usual, perhaps still somewhat stuck in whatever terrifying mindset they had been in while taking care of Sanes. "I didn't think you wanted to push him quite that far?" They nodded towards the door, a somewhat crooked smile at their lips, and then they stood, walking over to Erwin and putting a somewhat careful hand at his back. "Come on, you big oaf. Let Mike handle this, you need to hear what I found out from Sanes, it's some brilliant stuff."

\---

He bared his fangs, and that alone near stopped Erwin. His humanity was slipping, bit by bit giving way to his new nature. Anger and fear was evident in every tense muscle, but he stayed; and for a moment Erwin felt faintly ill - had he not only moments before felt a hand at his leg, urging him closer, asking to be touched? So trusting, so sweet - only for him to close in on himself, snarling and defensive. And it felt like a betrayal, as vain and ridiculous a thought as that was. As if Levi should have understood that hints were  _different_  now, that by his promise to fully initiate him he had implied he would treat Levi like another of his own - but he hadn't said that, of course, and now Levi was expecting him to act like he had before, and Erwin... Erwin felt a quick, searing flash of shame. He hadn't intended that. But Hanji was ducking under Mike's arm, and perfectly responding to Levi's body language, making themself smaller, unthreatening and speaking low and calm but mostly curious. Erwin took half a step back. Anxiety attack? He had never studied psychology, but he  _did_  recognise signs, if only now that he wasn't lost in the need to control, to win this petty fight.

"I never intended-- he was practically asleep only minutes ago!" But if there was one person he could not fool about this, it was Hanji; and so Erwin turned defensive, and Levi certainly seemed no calmer because of that, and - yes, he needed to get out and set his mind on other things because Levi was dangerous for his mind, never working in the right way, never following Erwin's expectations. Yes, he needed to get out, to talk and think of something else, and Mike had handled Levi well in the past. "Hmm", he agreed with one last glance at Levi, before he had to force himself to calmly walk out of the room. "Tell me", he demanded almost instantly, and Hanji rolled their eyes as they began to speak. "You should have heard him, the poor thing. As you may have guessed, there is far more to this than a simple painting..."

Mike leaned back onto his hands where he sat down; open, unthreatening, not blocking the exit. This was unlike Erwin - he had never seen him make such a mistake before, where he was usually so calm and collected. "Hey", he said. "It's all right. I was thinking - cook's on leave, since we don't have guests coming over for the next few days, but the kitchen is open. Let's make you a cup of tea, shall we?"

\---

Levi glared at Hanji like they had offended him. While that might be exactly what he was experiencing, did they have to tell the whole room? What good would it do for Erwin and Mike to know? But Erwin was stepping back, going on the defensive instead of always being so forward, and Levi had to wonder if he was regretting what he had done, if he could. He scowled at his words, but with his head bowed so to not make it too obvious.  _Practically asleep_ \- well, if only it had been as simple as that and not something so much more complicated. But then Erwin left it at that, and was gone from the room, and Levi felt both relieved as well as almost abandoned. Maybe forcing him to relax and to not think was not a good way to go about it at the moment, but with Erwin gone, that was no longer even an option. Now he had to fight through it on his own. Or so he thought, until Mike spoke up, and Levi just stared at him for a while, like he was speaking a language Levi no longer knew.

Tea. Could he still drink that? Stupid; he'd seen Erwin eat as well as drink. But would it taste as good, would he still be able to enjoy it? Some of the anger left him, replaced by curiosity and a bit of hope, just in case he was still human enough to be able to enjoy something like having a cup of ordinary tea. And while he was still upset, still frightened, there was something inherently calming about Mike, so steady and confident and never quite angry. Levi remembered when he had first seen Erwin drink blood, how even as he had struggled, Mike had not really seemed angry, merely very firm and controlled as he took him down. And of course, down in the cellar, he'd brought him food, spoken to him more kindly than anyone else had since he'd first set his foot inside this mansion. Not that big of a feat, admittedly, but it still mattered. Mike frightened him still, of course, but not like Erwin and Hanji did.

Levi nodded now, slow and hesitant as he finally let go of his own arm. "Yes. I'd like that."

\---

"It's not far", Mike reassured him with a little smile. Fuck, Erwin, that had been too much - intentional or not, it didn't matter. He did not even know what had happened, merely heard raised voices and picked up on the very obvious distress. But they had not been fighting physically - had words been enough to drive Levi to this point? Questions later. Mike left he way to the kitchen, offering Levi a seat by the large table and setting out two cups. He searched through the nearest cupboard, plucking out a humbly decorated box. He smelled it - good enough - and set the flavored leaves down by the cups . "Would you?", he asked - something to occupy his hands might do Levi good. Meanwhile, he poured water into the kettle and set it to boil.

"Black tea", he hummed. "Strawberry leaves for flavour. Quite expensive, quite popular among the old blood - the noble names, you know. The up-and-coming wouldn't dare anything by the most sophisticated. And so this has been left for some time. Still good; trust me on that." And warm liquid - comforting for a human as well as a vampire, if in different ways.

\---

Levi took a deep but quiet breath before he stood to follow Mike. He was very aware of the absence of demands, everything that was said was left open for him to disagree with if he wanted to. He didn't, but of course even if he had, he wasn't so sure he would have dared. But it didn't matter now, and it didn't trouble him as he gazed around the kitchen, never having been in this part of the mansion before. It was a good thing to think about; that it was a big house, and even if he couldn't go outside there were lots of places to explore should he be allowed to eventually. It helped him feel less trapped.

He sat down by the table, watching Mike, and grabbing for the tea leaves at the request with a small nod. Careful not to break anything - figuring he was probably a lot stronger now than he had been last time he handled something as fragile as the cups - he scooped the tea leaves into the silver strainers resting over each one, inhaling the smell as he worked. His throat still burned, but the smell was as delicious as ever, maybe even more so with his improved senses. Perhaps it would still taste good then, if not do much to quench the thirst for blood. But then he supposed he could live with that. Meanwhile, Mike was blabbering on about unimportant matters that had nothing to do with him, and it was such a relief to listen to. He knew little of the tea etiquette of the nobles; having not delved quite that deeply into his act, and he didn't give a shit either, but he didn't feel the need to. Mike wasn't forcing him to listen, he wouldn't be angry if he didn't engage in the conversation.

He watched the steam rise from the cups as Mike poured the boiling water into them, and then reached out to wrap his hands around his own to pull it closer. He searched for words, wondering what he dared to say and what he shouldn't, but he had spoken quite freely with Mike in the cellar without really being reprimanded for it. "Is it this difficult for everyone in the beginning? Once you get turned, I mean. How did you get through it?" Would Mike even remember? He was probably hundreds of years old just like Erwin, though Levi couldn't quite wrap his mind around that yet, or the fact that he was more or less immortal now, as well. Would he age at all? What about things like hair and nails, had it ceased to grow entirely? He removed the strainer from his cup and had a careful sip, and then another, before he paused to lick at his lips. It wasn't blood, it didn't quench the ever-present thirst, but the warm liquid was nonetheless so very soothing to his throat, and the taste - delicious. And fucking strawberries; Levi's comfort food of choice if there ever was one. He'd loved it as a child, and so his poor mother had gone out of her way to get some for him whenever she could, and it had always tasted of home ever since, even now after both his mother and home was long gone. Maybe Mike had some creepy vampire powers that allowed him to read minds?

\---

Levi held the cup with both hands - Mike knew well the search for warmth that would never return, the comfort of tea that mimicked blood. He wouldn't say that now, or this would all have been for naught. He picked up the strainer, holding his fingers over the steam; it dampened his skin, turning quickly to little droplets from his lack of heat. Vampires weren't cold - they simply were not warm. But tea, blood, all those desperate ways to cling to lost things.

"When I was turned?" Oh, that wasn't a story commonly told. "Centuries ago; before Erwin was even born, see. I am not older than him by much, but enough. It was another time - darker, more cruel, human waste littering the streets - well, to an even greater extent. And I - I was a very loyal soldier, who became a far more powerful knight by allowing myself to be turned. I was well prepared, and handsomely rewarded - it was no less terrifying for that."

\---

Centuries. Older even than Erwin - Levi tried to imagine how it must feel to be so old, even though he couldn't possibly have the faintest idea, as young as he was in comparison. Just those words, how he wasn't much older than Erwin, yet had still been old enough to be a soldier before Erwin had even been born, it meant they had very different views on what was considered a longer period of time. And a _knight_  - it made Levi immediately think of the dark ages, of silly tales of jousting and valiant men in shining armour saving princesses. But most likely the reality of it had been very different. He drank more of the warm, comforting tea, his shoulders gradually relaxing, never moving his head further away from the cup than that he could still feel the smell of strawberry. Eventually, one hand slipped from the cup to simply rest on the table, his other moving to grasp the top edge instead of holding onto the handle as he drank.

"What about the one who turned you?" he asked, ever as careful, every sentence well thought through for once before it passed his lips. "Did they use their creepy powers on you, or were you clever enough to not oppose them in the first place?" Well, Mike wouldn't have been a thief either, for starters. Levi supposed that would have made things easier. A thought occurred to him, sudden and easy, and he found he could speak without having to worry about offending the other. He was merely curious, and Mike probably wouldn't mind, even if he couldn't quite contain the slight distaste behind his words. He held a general dislike for most titles and ranks, because whoever had the right to put something fancy in front of their name had usually treated him like the dirt beneath their boots just because he hadn't. "Do people call you Sir, or are you no longer a knight? It must be hard to keep titles like that when you're supposed to have died hundreds of years ago?"

\---

The tea worked; Levi gradually relaxed, uncoiling from his little protective ball. His hands curled around the cup, seeking warmth he could only find there; Mike knew that urge all too well. But then he dropped one hand, the other in an odd grip over the top of his cup. Curious. "He did", said Mike, tone just a fraction less amused. He didn't blame Levi for asking. "To make sure he had control; and to make sure I knew that, too. It wasn't pleasant." He still bitterly missed his mutt, with the wagging tail and slobbery tongue; but that had been seen as a small price to pay. "No need to go into details, is there? I was released from his control, as per out agreement, and some time later I befriended Erwin. We were comrades, soldiers, friends and lovers, and I swore my loyalty to him."

That wasn't telling too much, was it? Grateful for any opportunity to change the subject for a more pleasant one, he chuckled lightly at the question, then sipped at his tea. "Sometimes they do", he said with a little smirk. "But that knight is long since gone. As are the many other 'Michael's - only Mike remains. That's what they call me, at least."

\---

_It wasn't pleasant._  Levi looked down into his cup again, quiet and contemplative. No, it shouldn't be, should it? Being forced to give up control like that, having one's head emptied of thought just to become a puppet for someone else to order around - and yet Levi was no innocent. He knew what he liked, how he worked, knew that what had happened in Erwin's office had been too close to something else entirely than what his and Erwin's relationship to each other had been so far.  _I bloody_ do  _care_ , he had said, but  _did_ he? And in what  _way_? Did he too realise-- did he know-- _ugh_. Had he been human, Levi was sure he would have been having a headache. He even had the urge to reach up and rub at his temples, but it was all old human instinct, and there was really no pain at all. Just confusion, and frustration. He drank some more tea, trying to will the taste, the warmth and smell to make the discomfort go away.

He looked up quickly though, at the mention of  _lovers_ \- oh. It was frowned upon by mostly everyone - at least during the day and in nice company - had been even more so in the past as far as Levi knew, but then he supposed vampires had little to fear. That would be good news for him as well, certainly, although that was nothing he wanted to think about at the moment. And Mike - he wasn't helping, was he? Sometimes it was quite obvious what kind of preference one had, and with Mike one could almost sense it from miles away, which was probably one of the reasons he was so good at calming Levi down. So was he implying-- well then. "Erwin calls you Sir, then? I'd like to hear that." He half expected to be slapped for being so daring, as well as calling Erwin by his first name, but then Mike seemed to genuinely want him to relax, so he wouldn't do that, would he? Tell him off maybe, warn him, but Levi felt calm enough now to be able to deal with that, so it was well worth it.

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this chapter comes with a plot twist that took even us by surprise as we wrote it, but it wanted to happen, so we decided to let it. We kind of hinted at it a little in the last chapter maybe, but now there's an added tag for the pairing too. However, don't worry, we're still diehard Eruri shippers the both of us, and we have a plan for how exactly it's going to go more in that direction soon enough! Please bear with us and this incredibly slow fanfic. xD
> 
> Also, updates might be a little less frequent than once a week from now on, simply because we've caught up to where we are currently writing the RP for ourselves, and we want to have enough for a rather lengthy chapter before we post. But thanks again to everyone who reads, bookmarks, leaves kudos and comments, you're all awesome and we love you!

Of course he was surprised - maybe Mike should have expected it. "Human laws and norms change so quickly", he interjected by means of explanation. "We can hardly be bothered to abide by them in private, though we appear to do so in public." Another swallow; perhaps he should prepare a pot, seeing as they might be here for a while longer. 

_Erwin calls--_  Mike spluttered, coughing for a moment, torn between laughter and offense. He hadn't expected Levi to pick up on the joke; but he damn well had, and replied in turn. But did he really mean that? Was he that daring to suggest - or did he mean... Mike leaned back, stroking his fingers back through his hair for a moment. "Don't push your luck", he warned, sighing. "Or - push it just enough, perhaps. If you hadn't, you wouldn't be here now." He raised an eyebrow slightly, hoping the message was clear enough.

\---

Mike's reaction was quite amusing, though Levi felt a bit disappointed that he got no straight answer, but then perhaps that in itself was answer enough. And he supposed that was rather private, too. Levi just nodded, eyes downcast for a moment as he drank some more, taking the warning quite seriously, but still remaining calm. "I've always been rather good at that." he muttered. "Surviving. Or-- whatever it is I've done this time." A small scowl, and then he too leaned back in his chair, glancing at Mike with some curiosity. Because of course he was now, when he'd hinted at such things. And if anything should be able to take his mind off bloodthirst and whatever the hell Erwin was doing, well, that would be it. It wouldn't have to be sex, necessarily, there were plenty of other ways Mike would be able to take his troubles and worries away for a while. Much like Erwin had done, only this time Levi would actually want it to happen.

But while there might be less rules for such things among vampires than humans, these vampires would have their own rules, most certainly. Erwin might have to be told about it, which was bad enough, and then he could probably forbid it if he felt like it. And could Levi even ask without stepping out of line? But he wanted to. "Would you do it with anyone other than-- Lord Smith? Or is that not allowed?" Too straightforward, perhaps, but then what other way was there to go about it? And there was a lot to be said about how he shouldn't ask for such things from someone he barely knew, but Levi instinctively felt that Mike was as kind as he was experienced, and that he wouldn't hurt him, but treat the question - and offer - as every bit as valuable and important as it was. And while it might take some effort for Levi to trust him enough, the fact that he had been as nice as he had been towards him made Levi want to at least try.

\---

It could almost have been a joke, if not for the bitter undertone. Mike didn't laugh. Among themselves, vampires joked quite freely about life and death, as a way to handle the sometimes bitter reality. But Levi was only so recently turned, and likely wouldn't at all find it a joking matter. His thoughts seemed to be on other things - judging from the way he shifted, how he seemed a little apprehensive, Levi really did have something on his mind. And as most often, his expectations proved true; Levi did have something to ask.

Oh. Was he-- was that an invitation? Well, well, well. This Levi had a little more drive in him than Mike had expected. Two very interesting, very curious questions - the second might have been interpreted as rude in another situation, but Levi seemed only earnest, and by hinting at his desires - vulnerable. If it was trust he had aimed for, by this he could consider it a success. "I was unclear", he began, voice steady and gentle, a bit slow as he thought of his best to phrase it. "Erwin is one of my lovers, yes. You met Nanaba before; she and I share a bed most nights, as where Erwin is but a rare but welcomed guest. As we do not live, we cannot create life--" He sipped at his tea, grip tightening for a moment around the ear of the cup. None of that now. "And so there are far fewer inhibitions among us than humans. However, we take care to avoid anything that would invoke a conflict - we keep to ourselves and our allies. And you - well, as of yet you do not really fit into either category, after what has happened before." 

He held his hands up, to stop Levi before he could say something else. "I am honoured, Levi, that you ask. And if it is relief you wish for, an opportunity not to think, I might be able to help. It certainly would be no hardship for me. However, for now, under these circumstances, I will offer no more than that." Because if Levi, as he returned to this state of almost constant stress and confusion, realised it had been but another survival tactic - no, Mike would not bear that burden.

\---

Levi waited for Mike's answer with a calm he would not quite have expected to feel after asking such a question, but whatever the answer would be, he did not expect it to hurt him. Disappoint, maybe, but nothing more than that. But once Mike started speaking, it was not at all what Levi had expected, and he probably didn't manage to hide all of the surprise he felt. But then, he supposed the signs had been there, from the moment he had witnessed Nanaba's and Mike's game of cards after he'd tried to steal the portrait, only too subtle for him to notice with his mind so occupied by other things. The tidbit about having children seemed a bit random, a passing thought, but Levi looked away for a moment, sensing some grief behind the words and occupying himself with finishing his tea to give Mike a moment, just in case it was needed. And then-- for a moment he thought he got his no, so very kindly and reasonably explained, and he started to nod when Mike held his hands up, and Levi stilled again.

As he finished, Levi nodded again, but slower, and ever so serious. He was quiet for a moment, thoughtful. "That's fine." he said at last. "I wasn't asking for anything more than that, really."

\---

In due time he would learn not to underestimate Levi. Now he brushed his hair back from his face, little smile lingering still. He wouldn't mind that at all; Levi could be pleasant enough when he wished, and seemed sure of his desires. If he had not thought of more than so, if he was as aware or their limited possibilities as Mike - then this might not become a problem at all. Mike would mention it to Erwin later - Levi was his by turning, after all. "Very well, then. Say you come by our rooms by dusk; in the east wing, large door to the right - Abrams will show you the way, if you wish. Think over it until then. If you change your mind, nobody will fault you for it."

\---

Dusk-- when was that? Levi had no sense of time anymore, with the curtains always drawn, but it had been late morning by the time he'd had the unfortunate run-in with Lady Brzenska, so he'd guess on that being a few hours ago. Could it be evening already? He had no idea how long he'd been stuck in Erwin's office, but there were clocks around, he could check. He nodded, sighing softly in what was undoubtedly relief, even as he felt slightly apprehensive. But in a good way, which made it all the better.

"Will Lady Nanaba be there too?" he asked carefully, trying hard to not get caught on the title and show his dislike for it. The answer to his question was hopefully no; Levi had asked for Mike's help and no one else's, but he'd also said  _our rooms_ , so perhaps he couldn't just tell Nanaba to leave him alone with someone else, even if no sex would be involved. Levi had nothing against her, she'd done him no more wrong than Mike, but she wasn't as easy to trust, had never made this effort that Mike was doing to actually make him feel better. That, and he simply preferred men. Especially tall and blond ones - but he diligently tried to avoid that thought.

\---

"Nanaba", said Mike, fondness evident in his voice, "will be out hunting tonight, along with a few of the younger vampires and Hanji. We would have at least a few hours to ourselves." If his interpretation was right, Levi wanted to be alone with him; of course he did. Mike was the only one who had made an effort to win his trust, and even though he had not been particularly kind or gentle at times, that counted for something. It was also the reason he was unwilling to do more than help Levi sink into a different mindset for a while; the young man was in no position to consent to anything further than that. Even what he had agreed to was pushing the line. "As for her, as well as the majority of us; that sort of formality is no requirement. If it is a tactic, I will not blame you, but we do not expect it."

\---

For just a moment Levi thought of horses, of a bunch of nobles riding through the woods with their dogs and rifles, shooting down birds or deers, and then this new reality he was now a part of caught up with him. Hunting, as in humans. They were the prey, the vampires the hunters, as Erwin had so eloquently put it. And even as he held back a shudder of distaste at the thought, he couldn't help but wonder how it worked, and of course the thought of being allowed to leave this stupid mansion, however big it was, was very, very nice. But now at least he had something else to look forward to.

Levi returned to his room a while after, glad he was left alone while in there, though he would not be surprised if there were people prowling the corridors outside to keep an eye on him now when it was getting darker so that he wouldn't escape. He had peered through the curtains, opening them as little as he possibly could, but there had been no sunlight. This was England, after all, rain was a lot more common, and yet he had felt what faint daylight that was left almost sting at his eyes. He'd left the window then, pulled the curtains shut and left to have another bath. Clean - or as clean as he could get, which was never enough - he'd dried himself off and dressed in clean clothes that he'd found in the drawer, abandoning the dark red waistcoat for a simpler one in black. But everything was still made of the finest material, and while he certainly didn't dislike it, he was still very unused to it. For a while, he studied himself in the mirror, brushing through his hair and briefly, carefully touching his fangs before he quickly turned away from his reflection and left. His eyes were still red. Fuck, he hoped Mike was as good as he seemed to be.

He found one of the maids and asked for the way rather than trying to find the butler, and was led to Mike's door with no delay. Taking a quiet, deep breath to calm himself some, he raised one hand and knocked on the big door.

\---

The sun sank slowly over snow-covered hills and treetops; the view from the main window in their shared chambers was of the now frozen sea, where they went for nightly swims in the summer. Nanaba sat on the edge of the bed while Mike sat on the floor in front of her, legs crossed as he wrapped her feet carefully. It was a comforting routine; hunting was never wholly without danger, because even if hunters were rare, they existed - and their vampires needed to be able to fight. He slipped the first boot on, soft, worn leather clinging to her foot and calf as he tied the laces. Functional clothes, dull colours, all to blend in. His hand lingered for a moment above her knee, and she sighed, tugging gently at his hair. "I'll be all right", she murmured. "I have Hanji, and the rookies aren't all that bad. Don't let the kitten bite."

Her words had been playful, but as he opened the door to reveal Levi he became aware, yet again, of the strength in him, of mind and of body. A little smile, now - because no matter how strong he showed vulnerability around Mike, and he couldn't dismiss the magnitude of that. "Come", he said. "Let's rest for a bit." He rolled up his sleeves, gently guiding Levi by the shoulder to the plush sofa by the window. "No demands; but I would like to know what you want, or need from this."

\---

As the man opened the door, Levi was struck once again by how bloody tall he was. Almost too tall, to the point where he felt faintly annoyed even while he could also be appreciative of it. He didn't return the smile, but the soft look in his eyes would convey that he was in no way in a bad mood. He felt relatively calm, if a tiny bit nervous, perhaps a little excited and quite hopeful. And from the first word, the steady hand on his shoulder, he could tell he was in good hands.

He followed without hesitation, having a quick look around the room before he sat down on the sofa. Nodding, he then thought for a moment; even though he'd gone through it in his head a few times already, Mike's words meant he would have to rephrase some of it. "I want no sex, though we already spoke about that. I'd like to just be able to relax for a while, forget what is going on, and not have to think on my own. How you go about achieving that is, I suppose, mostly up to you. But I want no pain, I'd like to just be as comfortable as possible." He paused, not sure if he would be taking it further than Mike was willing to go by saying what he was about to say next. "I used to like being tied. Not sure how that works now, if I'm strong enough to get loose, or if I might not even like it. If you want to try - I'd appreciate it if you could be careful about it. Take it slow, nothing too tight or limiting too quickly." Another pause, and he turned his gaze away from Mike for the first time. "And-- before you start, could you wash your hands? I don't think you're not clean, I just-- it helps me relax if I know the last time you did it."

\---

Mike listened, increasingly impressed; he knew what he wanted, that much was clear. And yet he was not demanding, but as respectful as Mike had ever heard him. Not in a forced, fearful manner - no, this seemed to be his most genuine side. Subtle expressions and mannerisms, language that could be interpreted as dismissive at best, but in fact held more than one might first expect. "I see", he replied, nodding. It was all reasonable and logical - the process was stressful enough even without being under threat. "I can give you that, I believe. Hmm--" Levi averted his gaze, and Mike tilted his head to the side slightly. Unusual, but not an unacceptable demand, in any way. 

"I could", he replied, standing up. "In the meantime, remove your waistcoat. I do no intend to go anywhere past your limits, but wearing it will not help with relaxing, I'm sure. A little vulnerability helps, too." Pouring water into the basin, he rolled his sleeves up a little higher, washing his hands thoroughly. "If you trust me enough to come here, trust me on that, too."

\---

Mike sounded ever as calm, not at all offended, but confident as well as accepting. Levi looked up again, watched him stand and walk over to the basin to do as Levi had asked, not rushing it at all, but doing it properly, all while giving Levi instructions as well. Fuck, he was good, and there was that strong, sudden, almost desperate urge to please, to let go and do anything Mike asked of him. Of course, Levi wouldn't actually agree to something he didn't want to, but neither did he think Mike would ask anything like that from him. He had said so himself, just now.

Perhaps a little too eager, he brought his hands to the front of the waistcoat at once, fumbling with the buttons, hands trembling faintly. Shit,  _shit_ , he needed to stay calm, or Mike might not want to do this if he appeared too desperate, he couldn't think of Erwin and what he did to him. This was an escape from that, yes, but it couldn't be only that, because that didn't seem right, not to Mike and not to himself. He wanted to enjoy this, and he didn't want Mike to feel like he was nothing but a tool to help him forget for a while. He was too good for that. But he got rid of the waistcoat, folded it carefully and smoothed the fabric out once he'd put it over the armrest of the sofa, letting the action calm him, taking one deep breath with a determined look on his face. "Fuck." he muttered - quietly and mostly to himself - but then turned back towards Mike, regaining his composure and offering him a somewhat apologetic look.

\---

His fingers all but flew to the buttons - Mike was pleased to have such an effect early on. He dried his hands, slow and thorough, eyes on Levi as he folded the fabric and smoothed it out. His shoulders were tense - perhaps not with immediate stress, but he had worked himself up under a long time. Loosening a few knotted up muscles might relax him. It would be a little painful, but he knew that wasn't what Levi had meant. At first, though, he would take it easy - simple, basic things. "Good", he praised softly. 

He had an idea - but at the same time he feared it would be too much like what had happened before, and perhaps trigger a negative response. But on the other hand, it could replace that feeling - he would hope for the latter, and do his best. "I reckon you need closeness. Touch and safety; it is natural, the most basic need of any human - it remains with us even as vampires." Mike sat down beside Levi, but took up twice the space with the way he sprawled out, deliberately claiming more, taking control. "Here, now - lean back against me and cross your wrists in front. I'm going to hold them; and if you need me to stop, you say my surname and I'll let you go. Zacharius, for the record. No struggling, however. I don't mind if you need to test my grip at first, but then relax. Understood?" He hummed, pleased, and took a firm hold of Levi's wrists once he'd obeyed. "Good, Levi", he said, deep rumbling voice close to Levi's ear. "Very good. Settle down."

\---

Once again, Mike didn't seem to mind, or even in any way imply that how Levi was reacting was not right. Perhaps it wasn't, perhaps he was just being paranoid, or-- or Mike had no way of knowing what actually went on in his head and so wouldn't realise - but no, he needed to stop right there. Mike wasn't going to be the one doing all the work, Levi would have to put in a little bit of an effort as well, that was how this worked, that way he would reach that mindset he was aiming for even easier. He needed to try and relax, as well as trust.

He listened to Mike in silence, then nodded. Instinctively, he drew back slightly on the sofa as Mike sat down, but not in a frightened way, merely very aware of how much space Mike was claiming. He repeated the surname in his head a few times, lips moving around it once but without saying it out loud. It sounded familiar, a name from his childhood, and he wondered if it was Hebrew, and if Mike possibly was, or had been, in any way. But he could ask about that later. For now, he did as he was told, marvelling at how one of Mike's hands was enough to keep a firm hold around his quite thin wrists. Levi was far from delicate even though he was tiny, but Mike dwarfed him with his size. Holding his breath, he tested the other's grip without holding back, afraid almost that he would be too strong now, but Mike held him, seemingly without much problem. Levi breathed out, leaning heavier back against the other man, much more relaxed now.

\---

Levi pushed against his grip for a moment, arms strong, muscle shifting under the older vampire'a hands. He was strong, and he would become even more so as he grew into his new role, as he found opportunity to hunt. But Mike kept a steady grip, pleased that he for now triumphed over Levi at least in brute strength. Levi relaxed, surrendering, and Mike smiled a little. His free hand nudged Levi as he spoke - "Set your right leg over mine, there - good. Tilt your head back against my chest." - guiding him, giving him orders that were easy to obey, merely for the sake of starting slow, getting him into the mindset, and praising him when he obeyed. Simple psychology, reward for good actions. Mike ran his fingers through Levi's hair and settled into a firm yet gentle grip, tugging his head to the side, to the back - slow and careful, making Levi aware of the vulnerability Mike was  _not_  going to exploit. Wasn't that what trust was all about?

"Your shoulders are tense. What is it that worries you?"

\---

Levi shifted to do as he was told, never hesitating even once. And once Mike's fingers found their way into his hair, he briefly closed his eyes for a few seconds, opening them again once his head was pulled back against the other's chest. He tested that grip as well, but not as he had done the grip around his wrists, merely a rather gentle tug forward before he settled again against Mike. Briefly, he thought about fangs piercing his exposed neck, but oddly enough it didn't scare him any longer, didn't even make him uneasy. There would be no point in biting a vampire, would it? And either way, Mike wouldn't. But yes, despite how he was doing rather well so far he was still tense, wasn't he? Worried, not because he didn't trust the other vampire, but because he didn't trust himself. "I don't want this to be the same as what Lord Smith does to me, because it isn't. But I'm worried that I'll turn it into that in my head somehow." Nothing but honesty, he could give Mike that. "Or that I wont be able to enjoy it properly because it will just be a desperate escape from things, and that I might react badly once it's over."

\---

As Levi relaxed, Mike loosened his grip to stroke through his hair again, tugging gently, controlling. "I can't claim that I know what has happened between you in any detail. Other than what I have seen, that is. And so I can't avoid this or that to make it seem less like what has happened between the two of you, but you know how to stop this." He moved Levi a little closer, tucking the back of his head close to his own throat. Flames crackled merrily in the fireplace; both to keep the stone mansion dry, and to give a comforting illusion of human warmth. "I see. We have time, if anything; I will let you rest, and I will guide you back. And when you do come back, everything will be the same - except you will be a little calmer, a little more steady and aware of your surroundings. But now--" Hm. It was hard to relax, wasn't it? He could understand that. "Would a blindfold help?"

\---

That was a very good point, one Levi had not really thought about enough, but that might just make all the difference; that he  _could_ indeed stop this whenever he wanted to. Unless he sank too deep, but that would be his choice too, even if Mike would be helping him along. And Mike - calm, quiet, steady Mike - he would take care of him afterwards, just like he had done so far, just like he was doing right now. There would never be a blunt order for him to come back that he would have to obey, just Mike's low voice and calming touch coaxing him back in his own time, just like he was coaxing him into relaxing now, without much effort at all. But a blindfold? Levi blinked, unsure how he felt about the suggestion, but still eager to please, and so also eager to try. Still, he was a thief and a criminal, and being robbed of his sharp vision was not something he was used to or would consider a good thing in any other situation. But the vulnerability would help, and should it be too much, he could just tell Mike that. "I don't know." he mumbled, voice a little softer now, calmer. "Never been blindfolded before. We could try?"

\---

Resting his chin gently on Levi's head, he hummed. "That's good. Give me a moment--" Mike untied his necktie with one hand, sliding it off carefully. "There." It was convenient and familiar, and Mike felt sure enough to handle Levi being robbed of one of his senses. "We'll try, and you'll tell me how you feel." His fingers folds the fabric into a soft roll, placing it slow and firm over Levi's eyes, and pausing for a moment to judge his initial reaction before tying it off behind the back of his head. "Comfortable?"

\---

As Mike let go of his hands to put the necktie over his eyes, Levi's fingers curled gently in his lap, closing his eyes as the soft, expensive silk was placed over his eyes, robbing him of his vision. At first, it wasn't anything special, not until the fabric was tied in place, and his head suddenly spun, heat seemed to prickle at his skin even though he knew that wasn't actually possible, and something heavy settled over his limbs, threatening to pull him down with it. But the thrill kept him just above the surface, as exhilarating as it was scary, and he suddenly reached up, searching for Mike's arm and clutching at it once he found it in an attempt to steady himself. "Fuck, don't take it off, give me a moment..." Half-rambling, breath quick, but then he made a stubborn attempt to calm down, and it seemed to actually work. He relaxed again, grip loosening somewhat around the other vampire, until he was rather heavy in his arms.

\---

He gently caught Levi's hand, placing it over the other and holding them there. "Easy, easy - I'm not taking it from you. You like it, that much is clear. So responsive--" oh, had this been different, more intimate and in another setting... He was lucky in any case to have found someone as surprisingly sweet and responsive, who gave so much and didn't hide. Perhaps he and Nanaba needed to in invite someone to play with. Erwin had been far too tense lately, so it might help but also be a bit more of a challenge than they needed. But he could speak to her later. "You're doing so well, just like that. Just like that, Levi."

\---

A deep sigh, and then Levi settled comfortably against the other's chest again. Mike was very right; he liked it a lot more than he thought he would, and eventually it stopped being scary, and he could allow it to pull him back down just like he wanted. And Mike's deep, calming voice-- if only the whole situation had been different, if he hadn't barely gotten to know the other vampire... That wasn't to say he wasn't grateful for what he was doing, but he might have liked something more as well. Still, it was better this way for now. Nothing more to expect or anticipate, just a simple matter of letting himself relax, to stop resisting and allow himself to sink down. He breathed out once, and then stopped breathing entirely, because for once it felt right to do so, to relax to such an extent without it feeling unnatural.

\---

Levi's breathing ceased, which usually would have meant a terrible thing or another, among humans. But to them, it was just one step further from humanity, closer to Levi's acceptance of his new identity. Because even if he had surrendered to it, even if his vampire nature overruled his human morals at times, he clung to his humanity most of the time. This was a voluntary choice, though, and certainly progress. Mike sighed, content, and leaned back, Levi still in a firm grip. He had responded so well to the blindfold - curious and entirely endearing. Now that Levi was quiet, all that he could hear was the soft howl of the wind outside frosty windows, the soft crackle of fire in the stove. If he concentrated, he could hear pots clanking in the kitchen far downstairs, but he was content enough like this. Nanaba would return with prey later, but Mike had no trouble setting thoughts of food aside to better enjoy this moment.

\---

Hands stuck in Mike's bigger one, arm firm around him and unable to see, there wasn't much Levi had left to do, and nothing to distract him. Occasionally he became aware of the crackling fire or Mike's hand brushing through his hair, but for the most part he was as close to sleep as one could get without actually sleeping, limbs heavy, mind empty, warm and comfortable. Once or twice he would become a little bit more aware, shift a little, open his eyes a fraction to find nothing but darkness, or faintly test Mike's hold on him, and sometimes there was a faint tingling across his skin accompanied by a wish for something more than this, but then he would relax again. Next time, perhaps.

He lost track of time after a while, and then eventually, he started to resurface on his own, if exceptionally slowly. Or perhaps Mike was bringing him back, but Levi couldn't be sure. All he knew was that he no longer felt so very heavy, and that his mind was clearing; he made a small, humming sound and moved his head a little.

\---

When Levi moved again, the sky was dark and starry clear, void of the clouds which had shielded them from moonlight earlier. It did them no harm, not like the sun - and a sky glinting with stars was quite a beautiful sight, to match the easy pleasure of holding another close. Nanaba would never allow him to hold her as such; she and he were quite alike in that matter, though they suited each other perfectly in many other ways. None of them were too talkative, so Mike knew well to pick up on gestures and motions; he gently eased his grip until his hand was resting over rather than holding Levi's wrists. 

"Hello", he said gently, voice low and close to Levi's ear. He seemed relaxed, not yet disturbed by his return - which had only just begun, after all. "Ready to return to the world, hmm?" It was more of a murmur than a question demanding an answer, intending to give Levi something to cling to - a voice he recognised to guide him back up.

\---

Levi turned his hands beneath Mike's as soon as he realised he could, but in no way was he pulling away from the other, rather the opposite, fingers brushing across Mike's hand before he became still again for another minute or so. Then he hummed again in a somewhat late acknowledgement of having heard the other vampire's words, and slowly he turned his head so that his cheek rested against Mike's chest rather than the back of his head. Ignoring the usual thoughts of how it would seem uncharacteristic and perhaps a little childish, he then turned further towards the other, moving one hand to grab gently at his waistcoat, searching for more contact. Clingy, perhaps - but he could be surprisingly so, especially in early mornings when he had just woken up, as well as after something like what he had just been through.

\---

Mike could not help but smile - Levi was quite well clinging to him, turning for a better grip, to come closer still. And so the taller man wrapped his arms around him, cradling Levi. He had promised this, to let him take the time he needed to come back up; and why go back on his promise? This was quite an enjoyable part, with Levi still a little drowsy, sweet and cuddly. "Hold on there", he murmured half to himself, gently stroking over Levi's hair as the other hand held him close. "Take your time."

\---

Mike seemed to know just what to do, which was quite amazing in itself, and so very pleasant, enjoyable and comforting. One steady arm around him, a hand in his hair, soothing and calming as he slowly came back, with everything that came with it. First the thirst, closely followed by the rest of his still quite new reality full of mad and terrifying vampires. But Mike was not one of them. He was strong and could be dangerous - no doubt about it - but he wasn't now, and he wouldn't hurt him, and that was all that mattered. For now, he felt entirely safe, and so it wasn't really all that bad to resurface.

His other hand reached to grasp at Mike's clothing as well, but at his side rather than his front, almost wrapping his own arm around him and tugging himself a little bit closer. If it was too close and too intimate it never even crossed Levi's mind; he simply followed his instincts. And Mike had said to hold on and to take his time, which was exactly what he was going to do. He breathed in once, taking in the smells that had been absent while he hadn't been breathing; the warmth of the fire, Mike's own smell and something else that he figured was probably Nanaba, but that was fine. Still being unable to see, his other senses seemed even sharper, but he didn't mind. Mostly it was just interesting, almost helping with clearing his mind once he realised it. He hummed yet again, easing his grip some but not letting go quite yet. "Thank you." he mumbled, nothing but sincerity in his voice. "You're very good at this."

\---

Glancing out the window, he scratched gently at Levi's scalp. The thanks seemed a bit odd; but then again, this hadn't been an ordinary encounter, but a way for Levi to steady himself. Mike had almost forgotten that; in moments it had become just as pleasant for him, as responsive and honest as Levi had been. "It is no hardship, certainly not with one such as you." Praise came easily to him, and Levi seemed starved on it. "But I've had practice, centuries of it, thousands of opportunities with many different people. You are so young yet, but you seem no less aware of your needs and wishes." It wasn't an order, or even a question to urge Levi to tell him; but an invitation if he wished.

\---

A faint smirk tugged at Levi's lips, barely visible, but it was there - which spoke volumes about how relaxed he was feeling. Some praise was way overdue after everything he'd had to endure for the last few days, and even though Erwin might actually have given him some in that office of his, Levi had not really been able to appreciate it. At all. But this was entirely different.

"I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to experiment some, so I've got a decent idea of what I like and dislike. But I have nothing against trying new things." Returning the invitation with one of his own felt like the right thing to do. He tilted his head back as if on his way to look up at the other vampire, forgetting for just a moment that he couldn't. And then his head spun slightly, lips parting in soundless wonder as his grip tightened for a moment on Mike's clothes. And fuck polite invitations, though he would still be careful not to actually demand anything. "I want this to happen again. I need it. More than this too, if that's fine with you, and Nanaba, and-- Lord Smith, I suppose." He didn't know if Erwin knew anything; Mike had said they were lovers, but not in the way he and Nanaba were, so perhaps it would be none of Erwin's business. Or it would be anyway, simply because Levi was his. Ridiculous.

But he was getting ahead of himself, he was being too eager and taking things too fast, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing right now. He had to remind himself of that he had all the time in the world, and that his current situation wasn't ideal for asking for more than he had just gotten. He actually wasn't even sure he wanted that, because while he might be a little enamoured with Mike at the moment, he was pretty sure he did not feel like being romantically involved with him. But he still wanted-- more. "But while I'm not going to deny that I thought once or twice about getting tied and touched and fucked, that doesn't mean I want all of that yet, if ever. I still want to take it a bit slow."

\---

He was still a bit out of it - wasn't he? With some slight surprise at his direct manners, Mike was caught off guard for a moment. Sure he knew this sort of activity was most often connected to sex; but they had both been clear about it not being the case his time, and so had had expected Levi to want it to remain as such. In no way was he disappointed - a chance, any sort of chance to get to play with him was spontaneously a wonderful prospect - but in reality, away from the convenience of fantasy... Was it right? Was Levi, really, in any sort of state to give his consent, or was his wishes now merely shaped by the events of the last few days? His silence may be taken for an outright refusal, and so he spoke instead. "We'll take it slow", he agreed at least to that. "We'll see what comes with time. You are new enough that I cannot fully - be comfortable with going too far, too soon. This, however - this I will gladly do again."

\---

Silence lingered after Levi had spoken, and it was slightly more heavy and uncomfortable when he had no way of knowing what expression Mike was making. He let go of the other vampire with one hand and raised it to the blindfold, not taking it off himself but signalling that he was ready for it to be removed. He might have liked it a lot more than he had expected to do, but there was obviously a time and a place for it, and unless Mike had plans on bringing him under again, he would like for it to come off. But Mike spoke then, and Levi realised that he may have been a bit too straightforward without really meaning to. Was he a bit desperate, after everything he had been through? Maybe. That wouldn't be strange. It was good at least, that he realised it himself, too. And it was good too that Mike recognised that and could put his foot down.

"That's what I meant - I think." He hesitated for a moment, scowling slightly, but without any tension. "Sort of, anyway. But that sounds like a good plan."

\---

His hand slid up as Levi gestured, a ghost of a grip at his neck before he began to untie the blindfold with only a hint of regret. He would miss the soft, yearning touch and how Levi tucked himself so close, small but heavy with relaxation. "You are a treasure", he said, honest rather than mushy. "Any would be lucky to have you." And if not he, or someone else here - then Levi would soon enough be taken to one of their greater gatherings, to meet Erwin's own Lord, to be accepted into their community. If Erwin only had seen him now - well, he had, but apparently under less careful circumstances. Taking him under and dragging him back to reality without warning? Unworthy of a man like him. Erwin was not in his right mindset for this, far from it. Had it been too long since Erwin was able to properly relax? 

"It's been a few hours. They'll be back soon enough, if all has gone according to plan, and perhaps a good drink will prove to be just what we need."

\---

Levi leaned back into the grip as if it was the most natural thing in the world, as if he had been prepared for it or perhaps waited for it since he first stepped inside the room.  _Needy_ \- his grip on Mike's waistcoat a little tighter again, and once the blindfold came off, he blinked a few times, just a bit disoriented. But he looked up at the praise, meeting the other's pale blue gaze; like an odd mix between his own eye colour and Erwin's, but with none of the piercing sharpness they both possessed. A bit of a shame, maybe, but still very calming.

"You're one to talk." he mumbled, not really sure of what to do with such a compliment. But hours-- really? He looked a little surprised - clearly it hadn't felt like such a long time to him, at the same time as it might have, now when he thought about it. Mostly it had been a pleasant, timeless blur, his mind empty of thoughts for most of it, a sense of almost floating, though with Mike always steady behind him. It had been wonderful, but at once again being reminded of how thirsty he was - always - there was a horrible, sinking feeling in his stomach. He took it in stride though, loosening his grip on Mike's clothes with a nod, but still keeping his hand there, letting the closeness steady him. There was nothing to do but accept it for now, and then maybe he could help Hanji come up with something better later, if it was possible, remind them of their agreement in case they had forgotten it, and hope that they kept her promises. He made a noncommittal, unhappy little sound of agreement followed by a small grimace. "It seems to be what I always need lately." he commented dryly. Raising a hand, he pulled it through his hair, straightening out what Mike had messed up.

\---

He smiled - did not even chuckle - as Levi straightened out his hair. Now that he was back - and awake, because at some point he had doubtlessly fallen asleep - he was again picking up his habits, aware or not. He had also regained his sarcastic wit, and that if anything was a sign he was safely returned. There was a compliment which Mike happily accepted - and the hand that lingered spoke volumes. "You are so recently turned - you need it to properly develop, through the changes in your body. If a newly turned vampire does not have a community, Lord or Lady to support them - well, many perish simply from lack of blood. We are  _entirely_  dependent on one another, as you have noticed." Talking - when had he last spoken as much as he did with Levi? He had not turned anyone in a long time, and the words were odd on his tongue - seeming so obvious now that it needn't ever be explained. 

"We can go downstairs to wait - the winter garden is as close to outside as we can manage for now. Shall we?"

\---

There was an odd silence about the house, thought Erwin to himself as he restlessly walked along the bookshelves of their library. Silence as when children plot mischief, as when a cat goes hunting for a Lady's pet bird. Even as he knew just what was happening, it was left him with a bitter feeling, an unease he did not want to understand. Levi was with Mike, who had mentioned only fleetingly in conversation before that he intended to take him under, find that special place in his mind to let him rest for a bit. As were it the most natural thing in the world - as Erwin's attempt clearly had not been enough. He was _jealous_ , and admitting it even to himself was difficult. Not of Levi-- no, Erwin knew that if he wished for Mike's company, he could have it. But that Levi had sought him out - or that he had agreed to Mike's offer, that left a sour taste in his mouth. Like a bloody cat, that one. Biting the hand that feeds him, and happily trotting away to another to be - petted? Ridiculous, but a suitable metaphor.

But then, of course he had not been overly kind. Perhaps he had used a preset strategy of rewards and punishments more suitable for a dog, than a cat. Perhaps - perhaps a different way was in order. If Levi decided to behave decently, that was. Pinching his brow - a habit he had never quite rid himself of - he sighed deeply, and returned to browsing the shelves. Another strategy... Another.

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, darling readers!  
> First of all - no, we haven't stopped writing, and do not intend to do so. But life catches up after an eventful summer - school, work, everything else. We appreciate every single kudos and comment, and we do write regularly.  
> Second - enjoy. Bookmark and subscribe, please comment, and we'll be back as soon as we have enough for the next chapter.
> 
> Lots of love, Iseldur and Grellenore

There was actually an explanation to the thirst, one that actually made at least a bit of sense? It didn't make Levi dislike it any less, but it was still very much a relief to hear. Pity Erwin hadn't thought to tell him at some point. He averted his gaze for a moment, suppressing the urge to either snarl or curse, or perhaps both, and he thought of Hanji again - animalistic, feral, never quite human and not bothering to hide it. Sometimes, he felt like it was in that direction he was heading, without being able to do much about it, because he was so used to following his instincts, and now they were becoming less and less human. But perhaps he could be a better actor, just like he had been as a human. Like Erwin and Mike, thought it seemed less of an act when it came to Mike, and more like he was still more human naturally. Which was-- odd, seeing as he was the oldest one out of all of them, as far as Levi knew. But perhaps that was simply different from vampire to vampire. It wasn't like he had been the nicest of humans, so perhaps it made sense that he would be more of a monster as a vampire. It actually didn't bother him as much as it probably should have.

Levi nodded and slipped off the sofa, reaching for his waistcoat and putting it back on. He buttoned it, but left the top of his shirt open. That had been accepted so far, and while maybe a bit underdressed, he wasn't being half as inappropriate as Nanaba in their men's clothing. Not that Levi minded, or was unused to seeing women in trousers. It was a lot more difficult to be a quiet, quick thief with several layers of skirts in the way.

"Why am I not surprised there's a fucking winter garden..." he muttered, but followed as Mike led the way after a quick glance into the mirror. His eyes were an odd, washed-out kind of brown now rather than red, so they must be on their way to fade back to his usual grey - but that would be ruined soon.

The winter garden was as ridiculous as everything else in the mansion, with its glass roof and huge windows. What wasn't glass was stone, with huge lanterns hanging from the ceiling and plenty of trees and flowers growing out of flower beds around the walls. In the middle of the room were tables and comfortable armchairs and couches, and yet all Levi could think about was how perfect a room it must be for locking a misbehaving vampire inside and let them burn to death as the sun slowly rose in the sky. How long until it would do just that? For now he saw only stars and moonlight as he looked up, so at least it had to be some hours away. He threw one quick look at Erwin where he spotted him in one of the couches, and then immediately looked away. He didn't like the look on Erwin's face, and found himself searching for Mike instead, not sure what he was supposed to do. Did he sit down or remain standing? He wasn't about to greet Erwin-- no way in hell. But neither was he sure Mike would remain as kind now in the presence of Erwin as he had been when it had only been the two of them, but Levi hoped for it.

\---

Erwin set the book aside as they entered - decent manners in decent company was not too much to ask. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of them - neither tousled not indecently dressed, but it was obvious nonetheless that they had done _something_. Mike inclined his head with a little smile, disarming as ever, and Levi promptly stiffened and seemed to search for ways to avoid him.

"Levi", said Erwin, picking the book back up and absentmindedly thumbing the pages in an attempt to make it less odd to speak to him. Or rather - to speak to him _nicely_. "You seem more - relaxed." Mike stifled a smile, visible only to one who knew him well - and Erwin had a sudden urge to apologise, even if driven by strategy as much as regret. An idea, he'd call it later - but in all honesty he was not quite as distanced.

\---

The moment Erwin said his name Levi was on the defensive, looking up at him with wary eyes, expecting-- well, he didn't know what, and that made it all the worse. But relaxed, _really_? That was the last thing he was at the moment, though perhaps Erwin was comparing it to how he had behaved last time they had been in each other's company. Then he would be a lot more relaxed now, yes. And yet - who was to say this wasn't just another tactic, Erwin taking those niceties one step further just so he could turn on him again whenever he felt like it? He wouldn't fall for it. But he nodded slowly, easing himself down into an armchair. "Yes." he agreed, voice flat and without emotion. "I am." _Let Mike teach you how it's done_. Oh, if only he had dared to say as much.

Though even if he had, the thought was gone from his mind a moment later as he caught steps approaching. He twitched in his seat, lips parted and a hungry look in his eyes, and he failed to feel anything for the man Nanaba carried inside, unconscious but still breathing and alive and filled with warm, delicious blood. He looked entirely too big and heavy for her to carry, but she put him down on a chair without even a tremble to her arms, Hanji happily trailing behind with a sharp grin at their lips. Both of their eyes were bright red - most likely they had already had their fill of blood during the hunt, so this would be for him, Erwin and Mike. Levi had not realised he had stood up, but he tore his eyes away from the man now to look at Erwin, hands curled into fists at his sides, silently asking for permission.

\---

Levi's response was past the line - but so had Erwin been, before, and for once he gave the other that victory. Jealousy had not lessened, now bitterness or confusion as Levi simply _did not behave as he expected_. Of course treating him decently was to some extent a tactic - but this time, Erwin's purpose was less breaking him down or forcing him to heel, and more - making him fit into the machinery. Perhaps his stupid, careless, ridiculously brave thief would not end up a simple pawn, but something else entirely. And perhaps it was time to see where he would settle in among them, if not treated like an enemy.

That didn't mean Erwin would let him loose entirely, of course. He put the book aside carefully, stepping forward to the unconcious young man. Heavily built, muscular, hair tousled with salt - a bay worker, then, having found his way into town to pay for the night's company. But instead of welcoming arms he had met Hanji and Nanaba, who were looking to use him in entirely another manner. They had had their fill, which left this one for the three of them. "Trouble on the way here?", he murmured, and then caught Levi's gaze, coming to a stop beside the man. Nanaba nodded, Hanji sighing tiredly. "We'll need more game in the future. One, big or not, is not quite enough for three, when one still is growing. Levi - you will have your fill, and you will wait for your turn." There was no cruelty in his voice, nor any particular kindness - he was merely stating a fact. "I am sure Mike will happily explain any misunderstandings." And there was just the slightest hint of bitterness in his voice at that last statement; Mike could explain, Mike who had so effortlessly succeded where Erwin had failed.

Efficient and without any of the courtesies he had afforded a concious vessel, Erwin sat down to drink, eyes closing as he drew the first deep mouthful.

It tasted bitter, he recognised immediately. It was only a moment later that he realised that was only because the blood he had drunk last time had been far more appealing. Despite the ink that still had stained it.

\---

 _Slow_ \- entirely too slow, and Levi could not help but glare as Erwin took his time, even as he was nearly trembling with the effort to hold himself back. But perhaps this was like with some pack animals, where the leader always ate - or drank, in this case - first, followed by next in the hierarchy. Which meant that he would have to wait until both Erwin and Mike had had their fill-- _fuck_. But he was too thirsty to be properly angry or even feel much resentment at all at the moment, and he turned his head to Mike almost at once, as if hoping for some kind of distraction. And anything had to be better than watching - but even though he held his breath he still flinched as Erwin's fangs pierced flesh, his senses somehow still picking up on the even stronger smell of blood, and then-- he was gone.

And yet just before he reached Erwin's side, he stopped, mouth open as he breathed in the scent in big, uneven gulps of air, a somewhat wild but glazed over look in his eyes. And yet he was still wary enough of Erwin and his metal hand to hesitate, and simply stayed there, swallowing time and time again in a useless attempt to do something about his parched throat.

\---

Hanji growled, and Mike jumped to his feet just in case Levi would lose control and attack, or try to rip Erwin from the vessel to drink himself. But just before he would reach him, Levi stopped, not without effort but still. Mike stepped a little closer, up to Levi's side to make sure he was aware of his presence, and then firmly taking hold of the back of his neck, tugging him backwards, away from Erwin who had drank his fill and was beginning to clean off the wound.

"Easy now, Levi", said Mike quietly, only for his ears. "Keep calm. Certainly an improvement. Stay back; use what control you have. You will have enough, jut wait your turn."

Erwin turned to them, then - his gaze fell on Levi, then Mike, and he licked a little droplet from his upper lip. Mike moved to take his place to drink, and Erwin gazed silently at Levi for a moment. "Better", he offered somewhat stiffly. "I - hm." Waving away what he had intended to say, he turned to Nanaba and Hanji to assess the situation.

\---

Levi never even noticed Mike until he touched him, and flinched slightly, baring fangs before he realised who it was, what was happening, and that he was being spoken to, as well as pulled away; and he stumbled along backwards, all of his usual grace gone. All he offered in response was a quiet, choked sound, because _fucking hell_ , it _burned_ , and he didn't seem to be able to stop breathing it in. And then Mike was gone, and he swayed slightly where he stood. Mike wasn't Erwin, and that had been a very good thing up until now. He wasn't scared of Mike any longer, so why should him being in the way stop him from moving forward and get to drink? He was probably faster than anyone in the room and-- Erwin was speaking to him.

He turned his head, and his eyes fell on Erwin's metal hand rather than his face, and the fear of it was actually useful for once, grounded him somewhat in his bloodthirsty haze. And what had he meant to say? Not that Levi actually cared, but he tried to, because he needed something else to concentrate on for just a little while longer.

\---

"There were four of them", Nanaba explained as Erwin leaned back in an armchair to listen. "The leader - we suppose - a tall, gangly man, three younger accomplices. I carried the vessel, and I _swear_ we did not deviate from the usually safe streets", she assured Erwin, knowing full well how dangerous carelessness could be. "There was not a soul out but them - and neither was it a mistake that they ran into us, even if they claimed it. Questions about where we were going, who our friend were..." Erwin gestured to the vessel, and Hanji nodded. "They know - if not what we are, then that something is out of the ordinary. They were armed, and we did not want to raise suspiscion by dismissing their rifles. And if they do know - they would have been armed to harm us." Nanaba shifted uneasily, clearly uncomfortable but still calm. "We had no time to think nor plan, and so acted best we could." Behind them, Mike stood and left the vessel to Levi; better to leave him occupied wth drinking while they discussed this.

Mike's hand squeezed Nanaba's shoulder in a calming gesture; he knew her well enough to see the guilt in her expression. Hanji was less bothered, but not happy either. He looked at Erwin, who spoke quietly. "I doubt our newest addition has found any way to contact the outside, but what if he has? A letter in a bottle might reach the river outside with a good throw, and I have no doubt in anyone else's loyalty."

\---

Levi listened - or tried very hard to, at least - as Nanaba spoke. It sounded quite serious, but then again what could harm a vampire? Wooden stakes, apparently, so maybe rifles loaded with wooden bullets would be an idea for a vampire hunter? Either way, it didn't matter now, and as soon as Mike moved away from the half-dead man, Levi took it as his cue to finally get to drink. If it wasn't, well, he'd notice.

He went for the wrist as usual, falling to his knees and clutching at the arm as if his life depended on it, yet still managing to make a little less of a mess this time. The blood was warm, soothing, delicious velvet on his tongue, and he drank until it turned bitter and cold and the man's heart stopped. Then he pulled back, licking his lips clean as he stared up at the man for a moment and then turned away, standing and looking back at the others. Erwin was speaking about him, and unless he somehow proved his innocence, Levi suspected he would either be killed or left to starve somewhere. It wouldn't surprise him.

"Why would I?" he asked quietly, addressing everyone and not just Erwin, head just a little bowed to offend as little as possible. "I can't leave this place. If the sun doesn't kill me, someone will eventually manage to stab me in the back as I go on a killing spree in town where everything stinks of blood. I'm not going to pretend I like it, but I'm not stupid, and I need you to survive." He braved a glance at Erwin, meeting his red gaze for just a moment with his own before he looked down again. "If you don't believe me, you can just force me to tell the truth, can't you?"

\---

His gaze lingered on Levi for a while longer; of course he could not be entirely sure this wasn't an act, but he realised it was his anger rather than logic speaking, and that efforts should be put into finding the true source of this rather than terrorising Levi anew. He was behaving decently under the circumstances, after all, and Erwin had no use for a nervous wreck - even if he wouldn't blame anyone but himself if Levi became one. "Quite true", he replied, suddenly thoughtful. Distracting himself, he continued to speak, giving himself a few seconds to think. "You may help find the source to this, instead. Perhaps there is some rumour you've heard around the streets, a signalement you recognise."

Mike, when Erwin looked back to him, was silently smiling, though he wisely kept his thoughts to himself. Erwin was not in the mood to hear about his soft-hearted manners right now. "See to it that the blood doesn't spill - I want my carpets clean. Levi, a bit of saliva will close the wound." At least while the victim still lived; but as messy as the newly turned vampire was, he had most likely slobbered a bit already. But that was not at all what he had intended to say, was it? Levi, who expected him to force the truth out of him still - even though it had been but a silly thought inspired by the fear of discovery. These vampires were all that he had; his good reputation was what kept them afloat, allowed them to live in comfort. That could all be shattered in moments, were they to be ratted out or discovered. And even if he did not want to hear it, Erwin _did_ care deeply for the odd family he had made himself here.

Levi's words set their situations in sharp contrast. _I need you to survive_ , he said - just as Erwin needed the rest of them. "I will not", he said, and did not take it back even as he immediately regretted it.

\---

Levi suppressed an urge to growl back at Erwin; it still sounded like nothing but mockery to him. At least at first, and then he was pleasantly surprised, if only a little, and carefully looked up again with a slow, thoughtful nod. He looked first to Nanaba, and then Hanji, ever as careful, but still meeting their eyes properly. "If I can, I will. There's plenty of tall men sneaking around the streets with their gangs, however, so you're going to have to be a bit more specific."

He didn't turn back to Erwin as he spoke again, and hid his confusion well even as he instinctively looked up at Mike to see if he could find some kind of explanation there, only to catch the brief smile he was giving the other blond. And then - as sudden as if someone had unexpectedly slapped him - he remembered Erwin's tongue against his neck after he had nearly drained him of blood. _Oh_. But what about-- why _before_ biting?

Well, he wasn't going to ask. Disdainful almost, and perhaps disappointed, he seemed to realise what he was doing and quickly looked away, throwing himself into an armchair far away from Erwin, still rather stiff and uneasy.

\---

"Very well", nodded Erwin, and meant it. "You shall stay with us for quite some time, Levi. It will be far easier for all of us to see you properly adapted. Full moon is nearing, and by the time it comes around we will have arrived at Lord Zacklay's grounds. You will be initiated, your name recorded, everything necessary to name you a member of our ranks." It was easier to talk than face the true issue at hand, but Erwin had never been a coward.

"A week and a half from now; the invitation should arrive shortly. Lord Zacklay, Levi, is not a pleasant man to encounter. Capable but harsh--" he stopped himself with a sour smile, realising his it must sound to Levi's ears. Had he not behaved that way himself? Worse, even. But the difference between vessel, thief and accomplice was great enough that he had treated Levi only as the former two. It was time - overdue, even - to treat him as one of their own.

Briefly he twisted his hands, then clasped them together, faintly uncomfortable but determined not to has to repeat this. Mike, Nanaba and Hanji were talking among themselves and so he could spare both Levi and himself from making this a too public spectacle. "As I said. I will not force you to tell the truth, nor will I exert such power again, unless you threaten me or my own. I - apologise. My treatment of you has been unkind and inhumane, driven by a need for revenge that I should be above. My cruelty has been entirely unnecessary, and for that I do ask your forgiveness."

\---

Well, there wasn't like he had much choice, was it? Levi actually scowled, though with his head still turned away from Erwin there would be no consequences to be had for it. Had he not already pointed out himself that if he left, either the sun or his thirst for blood would end up killing him? And who the hell was this Lord Zacklay, and why did he have to be part of any ranks? He preferred being anonymous, he'd been his whole life, and having people know his name had only ever gotten him into trouble.

But then Erwin apologised, and Levi was ready to agree with everything he said for the first time since he'd walked into his ridiculous mansion. He even nodded once, though still without looking at the other vampire. Then he turned his head slowly to meet the other's gaze, still somewhat reminiscent of a scared animal prepared for flight, but then he gave a small, non-committal shrug. "I did try to kill you a couple of times." he admitted, voice low, and ever as careful as he continued. "That being said, I can't forgive you just like that, you should realise as much. But I appreciate the _obvious_ effort, and who knows what will happen in the future." _If you behave_. If Levi had dared to, he might have smirked.

\---

Erwin did not quite smile at Levi's half-joke; but thre was some amusement in his eyes, and his shoudlers lost some of their tension as he nodded in reply. He spoke in riddles - or perhaps he was merely trying as hard as Erwin to keep up appearances. An apology would have been beneath him; too much sympathy for a vessel led to no good, but Levi was more than that by now. There was an odd tension about the room; this was not an everyday experience, for certain. Nanaba met his gaze, then glanced at Levi questioningly. "Hey, rookie", she said, speaking for the first time to him rather than through Erwin. The word might have been demeaning, but that was up to his interpretation - she meant nothing of the sort. "Let's see if we can make something of this, Hanji and we." She nodded towards the door, an invitation rather than an order to follow. "Say, this man we met was the goat-like, gangly type, too tall, legs like a man who spends more time on a horse than in a chair..."

Erwin stepped aside, deliberately placing himself out of the way between Levi and the door, closer to Mike. Permission, perhaps, but not spoken - an offer of a different dynamic and a new beginning.

\---

Erwin let his gibe pass, and if Levi had been relaxed enough to breathe properly and not so aware of that he no longer actually needed to, he might have let out a small breath of relief. As he was, he showed no reaction whatsoever until he realised Nanaba was speaking to him. He clenched his teeth together as he turned to look at her - because really, _he still had a bloody name_ \- but held back the growl that somehow seemed a much more natural response now than it would have ever been while he had been human. Once he realised she meant for him to follow, he glanced once back at Erwin, then at Mike, before he turned to leave, listening to Nanaba's words as they walked. And her description of this man sounded uncomfortably familiar, and Levi's lips curled in a quiet hiss, fangs flashing briefly. Well, if anyone he knew would be a vampire hunter...

"Beard?" he asked. "Middle age, bit wrinkly? Cold, like - he gives you that feeling he'd kill without a second--" But there he trailed off, red eyes staring straight ahead rather than looking at the other vampires. They both did the same after all, didn't they? He did as well now, if only because the thirst was so strong it took over everything else. "This man - if he's the one - he's a killer. He's killed plenty of humans, and he's good at it, but that's pretty much all I know about him. I don't know of his whereabouts any more, but his name is Kenny Ackerman. If that helps you find him, I wouldn't at all mind if you went ahead and killed him, even if he's not the vampire hunter."

While he looked every bit as grim as his words were, he had to blink in slight wonder as Hanji led them into a room filled with shelves and piles upon piles of books, tables littered with glass containers in all sizes and forms, and bottles filled with liquids Levi had no idea what it was - and felt pretty sure he didn't want to know. It was messy, and it was absolutely _rank_. Levi pulled down his shirt sleeve over his hand and pressed it to his mouth and nose before he realised he could just stop breathing entirely. Watching as Hanji bounded forward, fingers wandering between bottles and jars and containers and with that terrifying look in their eyes, Levi breathed out a silent " _fuck no_ " as he remembered their bet.

\---

"Seems he took a liking to you", Erwin said, not rising to the bait that was the mirth in Mike's eyes. "Aye", replied the other, sounding utterly pleased. "Drowsy as a newly fed kitten, he was. Very sweet."

Erwin huffed; of course Mike would effortlessly succeed where he had failed. But Erwin, too, knew the power of those hands, that gently rumbling voice to soothe his fears, his pains and worries and leave him warm and pliant. Even now Mike did not at all mind his irritation; understood that this was difficult, let Erwin have his space, the time he needed. What he would do without Mike, without Hanji and the others, he could not imagine. "Kitten's got claws", murmured Erwin, but did not protest when Mike followed him down the corridor to Erwin's chambers rather than his own.

Nanaba nodded in the affirmative, more than a little surprised that their pictures lined up so well. Of course they could not be sure, but Levi sounded so confident there was hardly any place for doubt. "You know him then? He - is there any possibility he is searching for you through us?" As Levi seemed quite pleased about the other's possible death, it likely went both ways, and this Ackerman was looking to kill him rather than anything else. It would be something to look into later; Nanaba had little interest in Hanji's experiment, and nodded silently to Moblit as he joined them, making her excuses and walking instead to her rooms to continue research.

The scientist's quick fingers soon found the bottle they had searched for - labelled simply "no. 48" - and set it down at the table, eyes glimmering in the low light, as Moblit lit another lamp with an ever-worried look on his face. "Here it is", they said, pushing it closer to Levi. "A gentleman like you will honour his bet, will he not?"

\---

Levi shrugged, eyes never leaving Hanji except to look briefly to the new face joining them. Was this Moblit? "Can't imagine what he'd want with me. I've done him no wrong other than to avoid him. He doesn't-- we don't operate in the same way. I'm a thief who murder only when I have to, while he treats killing much like you seem to do." There was a rather bitter look on his face even as he quickly bowed his head to look to the floor, fearing that he might have just been too honest. At the same time he wasn't, far from it - but he was not going to tell these creatures he didn't trust that he'd been raised by their potential enemy during his early years, that he had learned plenty of skills from him and might have once shared his surname. Most likely, that would only make his situation worse, should they suspect he was working for Kenny.

As Hanji approached with the bottle, he looked up, holding his breath once again. The glass was too dark for him to be able to properly make out what its contents looked like, which perhaps was for the better. He was certainly not going to ask what was in it no matter how badly a part of him wanted to know.

It was not number forty-eight in the line for no reason; Hanji had made many attempts in the past, testing them themself or letting Moblit do so when he refused to let them drink their own mixtures. He was sweet, but a bit fussy; they had survived so far, hadn't they? Then if it one time had been bad enough for them to need the assistance of their own Lady's blood, that was another story to tell. Number forty-eight was pig's blood, quicksilver and a few drops from their own wrists, boiled down and then thinned out with gall from the same pig. Unsightly, foul-smelling, but they set hope to the gall to stabilize the liquid.

The thought of drinking blood was only so disgusting to him because he knew what it could contain, and whatever it was Hanji now offered would surely be no better. Although, if it worked, if it could be an alternative to killing to survive, it had to be worth it. "Don't." he muttered as he grabbed the bottle and raised it quickly to his lips, never allowing himself to hesitate. "Don't ever call me a gentleman."

The liquid was cold, so different from both blood and tea, but certainly closer to tea in consistency. And rather bitter, if not entirely horrible, but one big swallow seemed safe to start with. He put down the bottle, shuddering faintly at the taste - why did his mind insist on reminding him of how much better blood tasted at this very moment? "Disgusting."

"Of course it is", they replied in an excited whisper, kneeling down and catching Levi's hand in theirs.

It did little to soothe the burn in his throat - which he was about to tell Hanji next - but instead he coughed. He brought his hand up to his mouth, pressing the back of his hand to it as it happened again - and again. With a startled look he eventually pulled his hand away to look down at it, licking briefly at his lips to taste blood there, the same that covered a bit of his hand. " _Shit_ \--"

He coughed a first time. They watched him intently, every shift in his expression, eyes flickering back and forth and then frowning-- his coughing didn't stop. "Oh-- maybe a bit too much gall", they murmured, then stood up and backed off.

The next fit of coughs had him doubling over, one hand gripping the edge of the table so tightly he might be leaving marks in the wood, his other arm covering his mouth, his white shirt soon drenched with the blood he had been so eagerly drinking minutes ago in the winter garden. Soon enough it was running down his arm to the floor as his body seemed to suddenly want to reject what should be keeping him alive.

Abruptly he was sent into another coughing fit. Now, that was blood, pure and dark, and Hanji gave a panicked little laugh. " _Moblit_. Erwin - we need to get him to Erwin, and then we need to get me _far away_ from Erwin."

Levi was just barely aware of Hanji being close, shouting what might have been instructions to Moblit. He was starting to feel light-headed, somewhat similar to how he had felt when still human and Erwin had drank from him, and eventually grabbed onto Hanji instead of the table to let them support him as the coughing at least seemed to start to subside. But he still tasted blood, cold and dead like those last drops from every human as their heart came to a stop, could feel it rising in his throat and threatening to make the coughing start all over again. By now he was half-covered in it himself, and he wasn't sure if that was what was making him tremble, or the - blood loss? - if there even was such a thing for a vampire, or both.

Levi clung to them, half limp and shuddering, and roughly yet with the competence of experience they lifted him into their arms, hooking one around his shoulder, the other under his legs and leaning his head against their chest. Quietly swearing, they quickened their steps, shouting at Moblit to go ahead and warn Erwin of what was to come. Damn it, damn this all - he was already annoyed enough with them, and they did not need this too added to their record. Turning around a corner, and down the hall, they burst into Erwin's chambers and placed Levi rather gently on the bed - which was not as immaculately made as it should have been by this time, which they suspected had something to do with Mike's presence in the room. "We fucked up", they said, ignoring Moblit's already panicked look turning _more_ panicked; they would make it up to him later. "Badly so. Dinner's all over my lab floor, and he needs you."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see!
> 
> Life (and other OTPs) kind of got in the way there for a while, but we haven't stopped working on this one, we promise!  
> So here's some long awaited eruri cuddles to make up for the long wait. <3

Oddly enough, there was no pain, apart from a faint burning in his chest from all the coughing. But he felt weak, his mind was working slowly. Paler even than usual, and with eyes having lost most of the red colour that should have lasted for many more hours, it was all he could do to fight to keep himself from falling to the floor or having another coughing fit. The absence of a heartbeat once again left him ill at ease, convinced as he was that it should have been pounding loudly in his chest at the moment should he have still been human. He certainly felt more human now than he had ever done since he'd been turned.  
His feet left the floor then, the sudden movement jarring him and making him choke on more blood that slowly trickled down his chin and soiled Hanji's clothes as well. He wasn't sure where they were going, though he thought he had an idea, and would have protested had he dared to speak. His fears were confirmed as he was put down on a bed and managed to spot Erwin further away - his first odd thought being that _fuck, he was getting blood on his sheets_. Then Hanji's words registered with him finally, and he shook his head faintly. " _No_." One word, and then he quickly curled up on his side, yet more blood spilling across his lips. Apart from being one of the last persons he wanted to drink from, what if more of Erwin's blood just strengthened the power he had over him? Wouldn't this pass on its own? He was a vampire, surely he would be fine...

 

Hurried knocking on the door had abruptly interrupted them, and Erwin had growlingly bid a nervous Moblit to enter. Not far behind him was Hanji, and in moments Levi was coughing blood all over his bed; this had quickly turned quite unpleasant. "Hanji", he bit out, and they had the grace to be quiet for once, no doubt thanks to his dangerous tone. "What have you given him? Pig's blood, again?"  
"Quicksilver! And gall from the--" he waved them off, snarling, but already rolling up his sleeve when Levi spoke, a single little word, and with it enough hurt to last a human lifetime. He didn't want this - but neither did he have any idea what this meant. Erwin could not let him have his way, but neither could he order him as he had before. "Levi, you must drink. Your body is discarding that which you need to live. This is blood, nothing but, fresh and sweet - and you remember the taste, don't you? Far from any meager human.” Erwin sat down on the bed, firmly guiding Levi into a sitting position, steadying him with one arm and leaning his back against his own chest. "You will drink _now_ , or this might be the death of you." A quick slit of his own fang, and he pressed his wrist to Levi's mouth, cursing as the first drops spilled down his lips.

 

 _Quicksilver_? And _gall_ from-- from _something_ , and Levi had never been more grateful to Erwin as when he chose that moment to silence Hanji. Fucking hell, no wonder his body was trying to empty him from the inside, when the crazy mad vampire had actually poisoned him. But he was starting to feel empty, and absolutely ravenous with hunger for blood, and yet too weak to do anything about it. Or at least he thought he was, but since none of the vampires in the room smelled as compelling as any human would ever do, he could draw no strength from that strong urge to feed.  
Erwin was too close now, though Levi found he had some trouble focusing enough to properly see him. But somehow his words were still clear, and Levi wanted to snarl in frustration - because Erwin could take his _meager humans_ and stuff it somewhere where the sun didn't shine. But even that metal hand was gentle as it moved him, and Levi had no strength left to protest, Erwin steady behind him just like he had been that whole night when he had been turned. Death? But vampires couldn't die unless they were killed by someone with-- with wooden stakes and by sunlight, wasn't that how it worked? But yes, he remembered that first drop of Erwin's blood on his tongue as he had been so close to death last time, would probably never forget it even if he lived for thousands of years. And ever as slowly he moved his tongue to lap at the slitted wrist, and the blood burned on his tongue just as it had done then, making him crave for more. But it was hard to swallow down the new blood along with the old that still wanted to leave him, and at first he didn't manage at all.  
But he didn't want to die. Somehow, at last he managed to get some blood down his throat, and then the next swallow was already much easier. Soon enough he drank deeper, though he never raised his hands to grab onto Erwin's wrist this time even as he felt some of his strength return. But he was still desperately thirsty, and he would drink for as long as he was allowed.

 

At first he felt only a sense of urgency and lingering anger - no matter if it had been a bet or no, near poisoning his so newly turned was unacceptable. Hanji had shame enough to leave, at least - Moblit followed them after a hurried, apologetic nod as he closed the door. Mike remained, silent, eyes politely averted as not to witness - it was not for naught that the act of drinking from the one that had turned a person was considered quite an intimate act. Between a Lord or Lady and their subordinate, relationships could vary greatly - there was Hanji and their Moblit, for example, who were partners. Mike had turned a few of the younger vampires in their service, and to them he was merely a leader and protector. Erwin's own Lord had turned a great many vampires yet still kept every single one close, with regular correspondence and meetings. Whereas Hanji might let Moblit drink for more or less recreational purposes, blood from Erwin's Lord was a rare and exclusive gift, or reward for excellent service.

And with Levi? Well, where Erwin was experienced and well used to the life of a vampire, Levi had been turned only days ago. At this stage he would need closer protection, as he was more vulnerable to poisoning, dead or otherwise unsuitable blood. And Erwin let him drink, felt his blood-slick lips tremble faintly as he leaned against Erwin's chest. Erwin gritted his teeth and forced himself not to feel Levi's tongue as it lapped up an escaped drop, tried not to think too hard on how pliant he was now, compared to before, when he had grabbed and slobbered. A fast learner. But there had to be a limit to this-- Erwin had just been about to pull his arm away when he changed his mind. This was a better opportunity than any other time. "Levi", he said, voice calm and firm, though not like the orders he had given before. "Close the wound."

 

Levi could not yet sense the difference between different human blood, but somehow this - Erwin's blood - it was not like any human's. It didn't do much to abate his thirst, but it made him feel better, it healed him, and it tasted-- _fuck_ , he didn't want to stop. He could, at any time - he wasn't blinded by thirst as when he drank from humans, but it was simply delicious. And then of course Erwin would tell him to stop, and Levi hesitated at once, remembering what he had told him earlier. One more swallow - just to make sure no more blood soiled the sheets, he told himself - and then he licked across the cut before he turned his head away. But he didn't move after that, and somehow still felt calm despite being very aware of how heavily he was still leaning against Erwin.

"I'm still thirsty." he mumbled, half disappointed statement, half question. Thirsty, but somehow still almost satisfied, no longer as weak but exhausted and dazed. "Shit-- get the blood off..." With that, he meant his shirt, and the bloodied sheets, most likely what blood he had on his hands and face as well. The sticky wetness of the fabric against his skin was almost enough to make him want to throw up again, though he was no longer worried about that actually happening.

 

He obeyed. He wasn't afraid nor defiant, there was no game being played between them here - Levi swallowed again, and he closed the wound with a single lick. "Hush, now", said Erwin - and perhaps it was easier because Levi seemed so utterly relaxed, but Erwin let some tenderness seep into his voice. His apology had been sincere, and Levi did follow him now, far more trusting than before. "I know it doesn't quite quench the thirst, but you won't be harmed. We'll find more prey tomorrow; take in two or three, to last us a while."

The blood - oh, there was that cleanliness need again. Before Erwin would have taken offense on that which could have been interpreted as an order - but likely it was just a poor choice of words from his fatigue. But it was true; the sheets needed changing, and Levi... "A bath. Come, I'll - it'll be quicker in my chambers, here." He looked up and saw Mike, whose presence he had entirely forgotten. "Mike, will you see to that the sheets are changed - and a nightshirt for Levi?" No, that was far too much doting-- or was it, really? Who was here to decide that other than Erwin? The bond between them was strengthened by the drinking, and if Erwin wanted to, he damn well would do this. Soon enough hot water was running, filling the large tub, and Erwin led Levi there, giving him some privacy to undress - and himself some space.

 

Two or three more humans that he would assist in killing, and Levi was starting to wonder when he would loose count. Surely Erwin had, and Mike most definitely. But then perhaps he should just stop counting now as well, if he could, and maybe it would be for the better. For now, he would leave it at that. Erwin was promising him a bath, in his own chambers, and Levi wanted it badly enough to ignore what that might mean, or why Erwin was so much nicer now. If he would turn on him again later, hell, Levi couldn't be bothered right now.

He dragged himself to his feet, feeling more unsteady than he was, and he had unbuttoned his waistcoat and shirt before he even reached the bathroom, dropping both to the floor at once. They smelled of dead blood and so did he, and as soon as he registered that Erwin was nice enough to give him some privacy, he slipped out of the rest of his clothes and stepped into the hot, clean water. It was coloured red almost at once, and Levi reached to turn the water off as soon as he had rinsed through his hair, before it could fill the tub up entirely. That would just be a waste of warm water, since he was going to use quite a lot of it. Though he didn't think cold water would bother him as much now when he ran such a cold temperature himself, he knew they all preferred the warmth. With one setback, because now he was feeling even more exhausted. Unbidden, the memory of Erwin's deep voice telling him to rest came to him, and it was almost enough to make him slip a little. He wanted it, and he couldn't deny it, even as he knew Mike was also present on the other side of the bathroom door, and he had handled _that_ quite a lot better. It was rather messed up, but perhaps it had something to do with Erwin's blood.

 

Levi turned off the flow, but Erwin, as soon as the other had leaned back, turned it back on, as well as opened the drain halfway. The blood would clear out. "We can afford to waste a little", he murmured, sitting down on the side of the tub with an arm supporting Levi around the shoulders. "A vampire's body is far stronger than any human. You'll have rid yourself of that in no time; my blood will strengthen you, and tomorrow it will be as if it never happened. You'll need to sleep now, and--" Well, not now exactly - but Levi seemed drowsy, close enough to falling asleep already. He kept his grip steady - not that Levi would drown underneath the surface, but; it seemed right. The water became faintly yellowish-brown as the blood thinned out, end Erwin scrubbed away the blood with a washcloth and some soap until the water was as clear as it came. A stain of blood still at Levi's lip; he thumbed it away, unsure whether it was his own or Hanji's mixture.

He knew the pleasure of warm water for a cold body, but Levi needed sleep, and so did he. Having given as much as he had of his blood he felt tired; and by now the servants would have their beds readied. "Come on up", he murmured, and half lifted, half guided Levi out of the tub, setting him steady on his feet and handing him a towel from the rack. He opened the door to the bedroom, where Mike had left a nightshirt and a little folded note on top. He gave Levi the shirt to dress himself and read the note, which was a brief explanation and invitation for his company a night better suited than this. Smiling slightly he placed it in his desk drawer, then returned to promptly pick up Levi in his arms, leaning his head towards his shoulder and stepping out in the corridor to take him to his bedroom. Erwin's rooms were warm from the steam still, so the chill in the corridor was somewhat startling. He had not ordered Levi's rooms to be heated, and as his servants were obedient rather than thoughtful, most likely they hadn't thought of it themselves.

 

Levi looked up as Erwin approached, not quite wary - he was too tired. But was he-- he was going to wash him. That was odd, and he should probably have argued against it, but then again he knew what he wanted right now, and that was closeness, to this particular vampire who was now offering it without question. And Levi accepted by simply letting him, rather than saying anything, always keeping an eye on every little motion of that metal hand even as he leaned back against the other. Not out of fear, but to make sure he washed the blood off properly. Once or twice, Levi would reach for the soap on his own to scrub himself off a second or third time, but Erwin was doing well enough, and Levi allowed him to guide him out of the tub when he did. He dried himself off as quickly as he could and then slipped into the offered nightshirt which smelled faintly of Erwin, and Levi sighed. That was good. Calming.

He only let out a quiet little grunt as Erwin came back and picked him up so suddenly, not really much of a protest. He could walk, he didn't need this - but he wanted it. What he didn't want was entering the cold corridor and realising that he would soon be left in his own bed to spend the night alone, and instinctively he curled closer to Erwin, grabbing at his clothes with one hand and burying his face there. "No." he muttered, repeating what he'd said earlier when he had been brought into Erwin's chambers, but with an entirely different meaning behind it now.

 

It was not without regret that he would leave Levi by himself; their newly strengthened bond called upon him to hold him close and stay nearby. But society nowadays cared little for nature, human or vampire. And he had promised better treatment - which certainly did  _not_  include intruding Levi's privacy in such a way. He had made up his mind, and was well on his way when Levi turned, curling closer, hiding his face in Erwin's chest. He crumpled Erwin's shirt in one hand, and his voice when he spoke was tiny but decided.  _No_. As well as a Erwin felt it, he spoke.

"No?", he almost whispered, unable to deny the thrill that ran through him. "I - know what it feels like. I do." He quieted for a moment, memories returning unbidden from the night of his own turning. How he had wanted nothing more than closeness, safety, comfort in this new, strange life. How every drop of blood from his Lord awoke those feelings yet again; and even if Erwin rarely got to experience that comfort, he could gain almost the same by having Levi close. A moment's hesitation, and then he turned back.

Shared warmth would last longer, after all.

 

He'd been unclear, unsure himself if he could ask to stay, if it was right, and hoped Erwin would make the right decision for him. But as soon as he felt the warmer air of Erwin's room return, he was certain it felt nothing but right, if of course a little odd. Hadn't he been terrified of this vampire only an hour earlier? And now what - were they going to share a bed again? But they'd done so before, and considering how intimate drinking his blood was starting to seem, Levi thought maybe it wasn't so strange. Vampires were different from humans, after all, and he was starting to get used to it.

The fresh, soft sheets of Erwin's bed was ever as welcome as he was put down on it, and he glanced briefly up at the other as he settled beside him. Levi still craved touch, though he wasn't sure just how much of it he wanted. Eventually he turned his back to Erwin and then scooted closer until his back was against the other vampire's chest just like on the night he had been turned, and he hoped Erwin would want to hold him as he had done then, if perhaps not quite as tightly.

 

He wanted to let his hand linger, seeking comfort in Levi, knowing that he depended on Erwin, that he was part of the structure they built here. A subordinate's dependence was just as good as his own Lord's approval - it meant belonging, needs fulfilled and help when necessary. But he didn't want Levi to misinterpret. His demand of obedience was nothing out of the ordinary, of course - but the journey to here had been a rough one, and he could still clearly recall how Levi had flinched away from him. But now-- now he moved closer, as soon as Erwin lay down beside him. He had given Levi some space but the other clearly did not want it.

The other's back pressed against his chest - quiet, faintly tense, clearly waiting for a reaction. And Erwin, in a rare moment, breathed deep and forgot all that was manners, plans and strategy, which way would technically be best to shape their relationship properly. Erwin breathed deep and closed his eyes, letting his arm slip around Levi's chest. He was small enough to fit just right - broad-shouldered and powerful yet so relaxed. Levi's arms were bent, hands resting level with his collarbones, just so that Erwin's happened to move there. His hand settled comfortably over Levi's wrists, as if accepting an unspoken invitation. As if it had belonged there all the time, given patience and respect. His thumb brushed over soft skin, his hand squeezed gently in - reassurance? and then stilled, not quite a grip but more than touch. A soft sigh escaped him; a man who hadn't needed to breathe for centuries.

 

Levi waited, not quite breathless but very, very quiet, anxious for Erwin's reaction. Was this too much, was he too close, was it wrong and too intimate and not at all what Erwin wanted or would allow? But he'd said-- he knew what Levi was feeling. But perhaps that meant it was only because of the blood, that Erwin knew Levi would wake up tomorrow and that whatever he was feeling now would have worn off or something similar, and he would be scared stiff by lying so close to the other vampire. But then that just seemed unlikely, and it made very little sense. The blood might be part of it all, but his head was still clear, and he knew what he wanted.

And as Erwin's arm settled over him, a steady weight across his body, Levi felt a slight thrill. A hand settled over his wrists, held them loosely but still with purpose - and it was a good thing Levi no longer had a heartbeat to betray him. He eyed Erwin's hand in the darkness - seeing it just as clearly as if it had been broad daylight - stiff for just a moment longer. Then he held back a shiver with some difficulty, and then relaxed entirely. Becoming loose, pliant in the other's embrace, he turned his head a little so that he could cuddle into the sheets and properly feel the smell of Erwin that stuck to them. As a creature who no longer needed sleep, he had thought it would be difficult to settle down and relax enough to drift off. But with Erwin's help, that was clearly not the case.

 

Erwin was doubtful, too - perhaps his hand there was too much like before, would awake bad memories, bring Levi back to those harder times. But there was only a moment's hesitance and then Levi became as pliant as a sleepy kitten, melting back against him, suddenly seeming so very safe. And he was; as long as Erwin held him, he would be protected. As long as he stayed in his place among the other vampires he would have them all to fall back upon. It was only moments before the young vampire slept, so strong yet so fragile in his vulnerable state. Erwin moved closer yet, clinging to what warmth still lingered around them as he too fell asleep.

It was late in the morning when he woke again; later than he had intended to sleep, but not late enough that he couldn't stay a little while longer.

 

After a few hours, any actual warmth shared between the two vampires was gone, but Levi never noticed. And there was another warmth there that was just as nice, something more in mind than body. That Erwin cared, that he perhaps wasn't all that bad, that he cared about  _him_ ; it was a great thing to know after everything that had happened during the past few days. And so Levi slept soundly through the rest of the night, dead and cold to the world until Erwin stirred just slightly in the morning.  
Levi was quick to open his eyes, but otherwise he was very still. Thirst, Erwin's hold on him - the two things he became aware of before anything else - but the thirst was somehow the most upsetting of the two. He scowled, but didn't move - not quite able to tell if Erwin was awake yet or not.

 

He woke lying just as he had fallen asleep; Levi still close in his arms, his hand still with its gentle grip on the other's wrists. He had to still for a moment as he remembered all that had happened so quickly; and then yet another to process how Levi had not moved at all, had not tugged his hands free even though he easily could have. But the other seemed to be awake, and then Erwin was bothered by the thirst left from giving so generously of his own blood last night. He let go of Levi, sitting up beside him. "Pardon", he murmured distantly, flexing his fingers. "Instinct." To need to hold him close, make sure Levi knew he had fed from Erwin and no other - it was an urge hard to drop even for the more experienced vampire.

The curtains were pulled still; but they had slept through the entire day. He pulled one to the side to reveal darkening sky, snow slowly falling onto the treetops still. The winter would last some time yet.

Just outside the door, as he opened it, lay the tray with this night's correspondence; he leaves through the letters absentmindedly until his fingers found fine, thick papyrus, almost silky to the touch, and with the so very familiar wax crest of two twin, red roses.  _Zacklay_.

 

Levi didn't move until Erwin did, and then only to turn his head enough to look up at the other vampire. His hair - ruffled from being left to dry untangled after the bath - fell into his eyes with a faint, natural wave until he turned around on the bed and slowly pushed himself up on his arms so that he was sitting. It seemed to take some more effort than usual, if only very little, and he felt starved - weak and trembling. He swallowed, and parted his lips with a quiet groan. "Why couldn't your blood just be enough?" Only after he'd muttered it did he realise how it might sound, but he ignored it. Was there even a point anymore in trying to pretend like he didn't enjoy drinking blood, whether from humans or Erwin himself? The other would know how he felt, and probably even have explanations for it that Levi didn't.

He brushed his fingers over his wrists, absent-mindedly, unintentionally almost, discreetly following Erwin with his gaze as he moved about the room. Instinct, he'd said, and it damn well was. Levi could still feel it, that need to be close, and it hadn't worn off in the slightest over the night. Or day, apparently. Though he would most likely forget that need at the faintest whiff of human blood and lose it completely just like he had done when he had just been turned, and he didn't like it one bit.

 

Levi had said something - it was lost for a moment to Erwin, who was a little preoccupied with the letter. Unmistakably an invitation; they were all of a kind, the rose seal and the simple address;  _Erwin_.

He left the other letters at his desk, returning to the bed without much conscious thought. Levi's question had probably been rhetorical. There was perhaps a handsbreadth of space between them, close enough to feel movement yet far away enough that he didn't need address it. In any case, Erwin had only eyes for the letter, as he broke the seal and opened it to read.

 

 _Erwin_ , it read.  
_consider this your formal invitation to our next gathering. I have heard rumours of fresh blood among your ranks, and expect a proper introduction. Perhaps the insolence of taking such a risk without considering your Lord's wishes is a matter which you wish to explain. This invitation is extended to any and all of those under your roof, presuming they are able to behave befitting of the occasion. In three day's time, three hours before midnight._

 

_Regards,_

_Count Darius Zacklay_

He drew in breath between his teeth, folding the letter carefully and placing it back into the envelope. "Well", he said, glancing at Levi, with his tousled hair and questionable clothing. "It seems the day will come sooner rather than later. We meet my own Lord in three days - you will need clothes that actually fit."

 

Erwin seemed so occupied by that particular letter, Levi supposed it must be something very important. But he still came back to bed with it, an Levi felt both relief and a little trepidation, though mostly the former. There was no warmth from the other's body to take comfort in, and yet the closeness still gave him something very similar, and he simply remained still until Erwin spoke again, eyes on his metal hand. But there was much more fascination there now than fear. As he spoke, he looked up into his face, somewhat amazed himself that he was daring enough to not feel like he had to look away at once.

At first he didn't know what to say - he had no idea who Erwin's Lord was. But then he remembered what Erwin had said about him yesterday, and Levi suddenly imagined an older-looking Erwin. That was probably far from reality - vampires clearly didn't age like humans did - but if he was old and rich and knew it himself, Levi thought he knew what kind of type he was dealing with. Everyone he'd stolen from who'd been like that had had some defining characteristics about them, demanding of respect and usually thinking a bit too highly of themselves. "Surely that won't be a problem, you've got money to buy clothes for all of England, I'm sure." That could be either a compliment or him mouthing off again, and Levi deliberately left it like that. He seemed to hesitate before he continued, unsure whether it would be too straightforward and not respectful enough to just continue, and also not particularly fond of what he was going to say. "For now, maybe I could borrow a robe or something? I need--" Backtracking slightly, and repressing another urge to growl quietly in frustration - because he damn well didn't enjoy either having to watch his words around Erwin or having to admit to himself that his next words were actually also the truth. "I'd like to drink."

 

"Not at all", he agreed somewhat absentmindedly, thumbing the paper. There was no shortage of money; the vampires under Erwin's Lord wanted for nothing material in this world. He'd need a new wardrobe, in any case. They were frequent customers with a certain tailor, and he was sure it would all be done quite efficiently. Levi made an obvious, if disgruntled, effort to speak properly, and Erwin could not help but be a little affected by those pretty words. Levi's faintly sour tone only made it better; he wasn't fearful now, yet afforded Erwin the respect he deserved. Now, he wouldn't let his thoughts stray as to imagine that low voice speak his proper title; that would soon enough be reality, for Levi could not afford disrespect in Count Zacklay's presence.

"There is a robe in the bathroom." He gestured towards it, leaning back against the headboard - Levi wasn't under the impression that Erwin was there to fetch things for him, as were he some servant, was he? "You will get to drink. Mike will take a few of his underlings and fetch us all a proper meal. Hm - put on that robe. I shall send for the tailor. Join us downstairs when you're finished."

Now, wasn't that kind of him? Giving Levi a bit of freedom and supposed trust to handle a very simple task. Erwin dressed, quick and efficient, then walked down the curved stairway to the first floor. "Nanaba", he greeted the woman currently reading in the lounge. Hanji was not present; perhaps for the best, right now. "Send for Miss Hopkins. Levi will need an entirely new wardrobe."

 

While Levi had not expected to stay in bed all day, that he had to get up and venture through several corridors and down stairs before he got his much needed drink still made him very unwilling to get up at all. The slightly disgruntled look he gave Erwin might have hinted at it, but it seemed to melt away very suddenly at Erwin's choice of words. Not quite orders, at least it lacked the usual force behind the words, but it sounded like Erwin simply expected Levi to do as he was told. And Levi-- didn't mind, to his own great surprise. There was no malice here, no threats, and though Levi couldn't quite bring himself to answer, he averted his gaze and slipped off the bed with hardly any hesitation. Maybe he looked a bit sick - paler than usual and not quite able to hide that he was slightly unsteady - but it didn't slow him down, and he didn't look back as he disappeared inside the bathroom. He straightened out the nightshirt and found a brush to pull through his hair before he pulled on the robe and went back into the other room, and by then Erwin had already left.

He could have used the robe as a tent, and he kept having to push the sleeves up, since they didn't seem to want to stay folded, the fabric heavy and luxurious. But at least it wasn't long enough to reach the floor, so he wasn't getting it dirty as he made his way downstairs. It took him a while and a few empty rooms before he found the right one, and he wasn't in the best of moods because of it, starved as he was. He shot the room and the people in it a dark glare, saving Erwin for last so that he'd managed to tone it down a little by the time it was his turn. Finding an empty armchair, he sat down, curling up slightly against the armrest to protect himself from anyone's judging looks, underdressed and increasingly aware of that he probably had the least standing in any company he would find himself in here apart from perhaps the servants. He wanted to point out that once Mike arrived with their drink - another human life they would take - he would most likely lose it, and that he really hoped no one would blame him for it. Surely they must all know how he was feeling, and not expect him to wait until everyone else had had their fill of blood.

 

It wasn't long before Mike returned, and Erwin was glad he wouldn't have to present a half-starved Levi to Miss Hopkins. That held more truth than was comfortable - Levi  _was_  half starved, and with Erwin's anger entirely dissipated - because it truly was, he realised with some surprise - perhaps it was time for an exception.  Levi knew better than to try anything; he had asked quite nicely and understood he needed to wait his turn. So when the hunting group entered the room with their catch, Erwin had already approached Levi, all in good time. His flesh arm, sleeve rolled up to gain a closer connection, he had wrapped around Levi to gently but firmly grasp his throat. It was entirely harmless, of course - Erwin's grip was sure, and Levi did not need to breathe in any case. He held him, letting Mike set one of the vessels in a suitable armchair and then guided Levi to his knees, following smoothly after and holding the other man close to his chest. He ripped the vessel's sleeve off, then lifted his arm as he had seen Levi drink before. He loosened his grip slightly, not holding Levi's neck arched back; just short of reaching his goal.

And then, in a voice quiet enough the only Levi could hear as he spoke next to his ear. "You may."

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, friends! Thank you so much for still sticking with us and leaving such sweet comments that makes us scream at each other a lot. <3
> 
> Now how about some long-awaited smut?

Still wary enough of him to keep Erwin in the corner of his eye, Levi looked to him at once as he stood up and approached. Fear - though not at all as strong as it had been only yesterday, and uncertainty, and he could hardly be blamed for flinching away from the other's hand as it reached for his throat. But the back of his head only met with the soft back of the armchair, and there was nowhere to go, he had not been fast enough in his current condition and neither did he have any hopes of fighting off Erwin, but... he wasn't ripping his head off. He was preventing him from breathing, and it wasn't half as uncomfortable as such a tight grip would have been for a human. Besides, Levi was no stranger to having hands around his throat, one of his close friends from the streets had taught him just how thrilling it could be when someone he trusted enough took control of his breathing to a certain degree, and with the way Erwin's big hand fit around his neck... Levi was as mortified as he was relieved for the big robe he was wearing when he realised that apart from thirst, he was feeling other things as well, unbidden thoughts sneaking to the front of his mind. Could he blame that on drinking Erwin's blood as well?

Their newest pray was carried inside then, and Levi fought against Erwin's grip briefly, imagining rather than actually being able to smell the blood contained inside the human. He was pliant, if a little overeager and clumsy as Erwin guided him out of the armchair and down on his knees, lips already parted and eyes never leaving the human even as they seemed a little unfocused because  _fuck_ , Erwin was too close and too big in surely more ways than one, too strong and too handsome, and the way he was holding him--

Levi almost jumped at the words whispered against his ear, or it might even have been a slight tremble, and then he buried his fangs in the vessel's arm. Erwin's grip around his neck was no longer as strong, but it made it slightly difficult to swallow, forcing him to take it slower than he would have done otherwise. He drank as deep as he could, eyes half-closed, one hand instinctively grasping at Erwin's arm to steady himself.

 

As soon as Levi began drinking, Erwin knew he had no way of hiding the developing nature of their relationship. To give Levi of the blood before he even took a mouthful; to hold him as he did, gently by the throat- even if the rest were all too clever to point it out, it was obvious. Levi, apart from the initial little struggle, let Erwin lead without protest. He was drinking more slowly and carefully, and Erwin could feel every swallow against his hands. And Levi were making these tiny little noises - unintentional and quiet little gasps, a faint moan with each swallow. Erwin's mouth felt dry, and not because of a lack of blood. He licked his lips quickly, feeling Levi's scent with each breath, unable to avoid the closeness of his body in this position. "Easy", he murmured, thumb stroking his throat gently. "Take it slow. You will have what you need, Levi. Take it slow."

He held the metal band by his side, ever so aware of how he fastenings tugged at flesh and tendons. But he didn't want to think about that; not when Levi shifted and his reaction became quite evident to Erwin. Fucking-- fucking hell, he had not expected that just yet. But invisible due to the robe or not, Erwin could tell even if the others could not.

 

He had not been rushing it, hadn't been able to really, but he slowed down even more at Erwin's words. Before, when he had just been turned and always been so desperate for blood, he would have been oblivious to anything other than drinking. Now, despite how thirsty he was, Erwin was still much more important. Levi drank until he felt satisfied enough, and then he licked across the wound and easily leaned away from it - much to everyone's surprise, he could tell. But that didn't matter, his mind was so occupied by other things.

It was time now, to accept what he was. With Erwin's blood still in him, as well as the strengthening human blood, he was stronger and faster and more lethal than he had ever been before. Nothing was comparable to how he remembered being human had felt like any more, and the beast was taking over, overwhelming in its persistence. Hanji had given in to this, he had seen it even with his useless human eyes. But now it was clear that everyone else had too, only they showed it a little differently, put up façades that gave the illusion of some retained humanity, even though it was long gone. And Levi understood them. It was so easy, after all, so effortless compared to trying to latch on to what he had been before Erwin had turned him. And why should he, really, when what he was now was so much better, so much stronger and more dangerous? He could do anything, like this. He would live forever, see things no human ever would. And he could have anything he wanted.

Levi let go. Easy. Slipped a bit further than he perhaps should have, not quite in control. Primal.

He grasped for Erwin's flesh hand with both of his, quietly growling and showing fangs as he looked up at him, desperate rather than angry. And then, instinctively, he tipped his head to the side, a clear offering just like the night he had been turned, just much more willing. He lowered his gaze, the very picture of submission, breathing calm if a little heavy, quite obviously aroused. He wasn't sure if it was the appropriate thing to do - no one had given him a lesson in vampire etiquette - but it felt absolutely right to offer himself up in such a way. This vampire had made him what he was now - and for the first time Levi felt thankful.

 

Erwin was of half a mind to snap at the rest to leave the two of them alone; but he wouldn't interrupt their well-deserved meal to sate his own lusts. But even if it technically was not, it felt as intimate as yesterday night had been, as if this was something to be kept from others' eyes. Levi drank, savouring each mouthful, it seemed, throat working under Erwin's grip, who continued to gently stroke the pale flesh. It was comforting, but just as much possessive in the way he held Levi so close, feeding him, breathing in his scent and allowing no one near.

Not even Mike. Especially not Mike, at the moment. He was good for Levi, yes, and he was good for them all - but this moment would not be disturbed. He had thought Levi would need more; but he had not yet drained the man before he closed the wound, careful and efficient. There was a brief moment in which they were both completely still; Erwin waited, sensing that Levi had somehing more to say - or do? He shifted in Erwin's hold and the taller vampire loosened his grip just so; not removing his hand but not hindering movement. 

And then-- Erwin felt his blood rush south, though his cheeks also flushed, eyes widening at Levi's display. Breath hitched in his throat even though breathing had not been an issue for centuries; and Levi was relaxed, peaceful in his arms, throat bared and hands curled around his arm. He wanted to stop here; to stay at this point indefinitely and marvel at the display of soft skin, the vulnerability and submission so readily,  _willingly_ offered. But he couldn't leave him so; Erwin leaned down, licking so very gently at his throat to numb the pain before biting down, sure and firm.

It tasted sweeter than ever before.

 

That tongue had only ever been unwelcome before, now it made Levi shiver. Though he remembered - and expected - pain, there was no fear, and as those fangs pierced his skin it was just enough, painful but not too much. He tensed a little at first, but then relaxed just as quickly again with a soft little sound somewhere between a whimper and a moan. And he was no longer aware of that they weren't alone, couldn't find it in him to care, because the only thing he focused on was Erwin's supporting hold on him, and the sudden, thrilling feeling as he began to drink. This-- this was completely different from last time when he had been human; suddenly it felt  _good_ , amazing even. His grip on the other's arm tightened, encouraging him as his own breathing quickened and a warmth he hadn't thought he would be able to feel again spread down between his legs and across his neck and face, even better somehow than the warmth caused by drinking blood.

 

Erwin's thirst increased a thousandfold at the display, the sweet taste of Levi's blood, here still warm from the vessel's body. It was almost as the night where he had turned him; except this was better, out of comparison, and he knew if he didn't keep himself firmly in check he would beat Levi in eagerness to drink. Mustering his uttermost self control, he forced himself to drink slowly, small mouthfuls, the sensation far more important than the amount of blood. He stroked Levi's throat gently, squeezing a little here, then again, slow and calculated. He bit down a little bit harder to drive home his claim; that Levi was his, belonged here, by his side.

Levi's hands gripped his flesh arm, and it was with some regret he realized that; his metal hand was perfectly attuned to his motions, but he could feel nothing. Not even as he slid it firmly down Levi's thigh, gripping possessively, fingers fluttering over the fabric covering his cock, as if claiming it for his own.  _Mine_ , he wanted to growl.  _Mine to hold, to control, to cherish and protect._

 

Levi's breath stuttered, and he shivered, eyes closed now. The little sounds he made were quiet but no less clear; he liked what was happening. His arms trembled slightly, and his grip on Erwin's arm loosened somewhat, only to tighten again as he bit down harder, and a whispered curse passed Levi's lips.

But Erwin didn't stop there, his other hand finding its way down, and Levi trembled with the effort to hold himself still, lest he risked tearing his own neck open on Erwin's fangs. Though he trusted the other man to hold him still, so he wasn't actually very worried. It was fortunate that he was on his knees already, or his legs might have given out, and he immediately tried to move closer to Erwin's hand without a second thought to how it was metal and how scared he had been of it before.

 

He drank only a little; feeding was not the point of this moment. He held Levi perfectly still, hand firm, not risking more damage than the carefully calculated points where he broke the skin. He was not particularly worried; Levi was all but limp in his grasp, shivering and clearly in anticipation, perhaps even want of something more. But Erwin wouldn't-- he could not take more than he had been offered. 

Again he damned how he could not feel with his metal hand; how his fingers could not detect the swell of Levi's cock, the outline of it beneath the fabric. For he wore nothing but the robe and shirt, as far as Erwin knew -  _Erwin's_  robe and shirt. But he pulled his hand back, instead taking hold of both of Levi's hands and holding them down in his lap, his grip firm around the wrists. And then he gently opened his mouth, removing his fangs and delicately healing the little wounds, until no mark remained. He paused for a second; then placed a soft little kiss where he had bitten down before. Inside, gratitude, arousal and pride battled to shape his words. "Thank you, Levi", he said then, close again to his ear, voice low.

 

Erwin removed his hand just as quickly as he had put it there - and Levi groaned quietly in protest. He wasn't fully hard yet, not as turned on as he could be, but he damn well still wanted some relief. He was glad at least that he wasn't wearing any godforsaken, tight trousers, because that would have made things a lot worse.

The metal fingers wrapped themselves around his wrists instead, and Levi loosened his grip on the other's arm at once, willingly following in his movement. Erwin held him so effortlessly, the cold metal as inescapable as any cuffs, and all it did was make him wish for more. A small sound again, as Erwin slid his fangs out, and then he slowly opened his eyes at the sensation of lips against his by now very sensitive neck. His hands trembled in Erwin's, and he moved himself a little closer, putting the top of his head against the other's shoulder, feeling at a bit of a loss for what to do next. Erwin's thank you at least meant he had done a good thing just now, by offering himself and his blood to the older vampire, but what would happen now he didn't know. It was comforting then, that Erwin held him, that he couldn't go anywhere and that it was very much up to the other to guide him in the right direction.

 

He too needed to drink, but that could wait - Levi was a little lost and quite vulnerable, relaxed and content in his arms. And Erwin held him, hands firm but so careful even if he could not feel with his metal hand. With every moment, with every lack of a heartbeat or breath he felt emotion surging through him; raw and unnameable, possessive and joyful and overwhelming. It felt as blood once had; but now this seemed to run through his veins, to give him life though he could never have it back. He breathed out suddenly, not having realised he had taken in air. 

Levi seemed calm, but Erwin could not be. His legs itched to run, his hands to grasp Levi tighter. He controlled his emotions, of course, as he had learned throughout the centuries to do. But he could not remain here, where the others could see. No matter how much he trusted them, Levi's willing and honest submission was a gift too precious to be wasted here. He slid his hand under Levi's thighs while the other still held his wrists, lifting him into his arms and promptly walking from the room, up the stairs, back to the bedroom they had left not much earlier. He knew what it might seem his intentions were, but he wished for privacy above all else. Basic urges could be satisfied later; this was above that. He did sit down on the bed, though, and held Levi close still, cradling his back and holding the back of his neck, still not having let go of his wrists. He was breathing, he realized again - breathing hard, as he had not done for as long as he could remember. 

He had turned Levi into on of his own kind; but in turn, Levi had made him so human. 

 

Erwin lifted him with no effort at all, and Levi so willingly shifted to help, fitting perfectly in his arms and turning his head away from the others to lean against the Erwin's chest. Even he found it odd that he was so calm when there were so many reasons for him to be anything  _but_ calm. A man who could probably make him kill himself with a word was holding him trapped in his arms - that was one reason. They were also heading back towards his bedroom, and sex might very well be on Erwin's mind because it was certainly a possibility in Levi's head, but somehow he wasn't the least bit worried.

And once Erwin put him down on the bed, Levi blinked slowly as he made himself comfortable, twisting his hands gently in the other's grip with no intention of getting away - he didn't want to. Erwin's flesh hand was at his neck, and Levi leaned back against it, looking up at the other with nothing in his eyes but calm and slight curiosity for what might happen next, what this all meant. He opened his mouth to ask, but it took him a long time before he figured out anything to say, and when he did, it sounded a little weird and amusing even to him.

"Can I stop calling you Lord now, at least when we're alone?"

 

Erwin started at that; then a huff, almost a chuckle escaped him, and he playfully tilted Levi's head back, stroking fingers over his throat in mock warning. "Insolent", he murmured, and tried not to think of _calling things in private_  and how Mike would use proper titles for Erwin in public but shift his tone, give a glance just so that Erwin would be reminded of - other things. But as much as the two of them enjoyed those games it was clear Levi did not - and when he had so gracefully given his submission, demanding more seemed a horrid thing to do. "Certainly you may", he answered then. 

Levi's skin was soft under his hand, the blue of his veins visible now just after ha had drunk, his eyes alight with red. Edwin's mouth was dry and his cock treacherous; none the less his mind was aware enough to realize it would not be right. Levi was under the effect of so recently sated thirst, of Erwin's presence and last night-- and Erwin was too, but that didn't matter. He held the responsibility here, and breaking trust so delicate was not something he was willing to do. Still - he could ask, could he not?

"Levi", he said, voice dropping just faintly deeper. "What do you want? What do you - need?"

 

Playful as it may be, Erwin's fingers on his throat made Levi's breath hitch in that so very human way, even if he felt more like a vampire now than he had ever really done before.  _Insolent_ , he said, and the corners of Levi's mouth curled just slightly. Oh, Erwin had  _no idea_...

But Erwin gave his permission, and Levi relaxed even more for it, seemingly not at all half as riled up as the other vampire even as he asked him such questions in a voice that really should not be allowed. Levi wasn't stupid; he could tell what Erwin wanted. That he asked, then, rather than took as he would so easily have been able to, meant so much. And Levi might be oddly calm, but that didn't mean he did not want the same thing.

"You." he answered, without even the slightest hesitation, but suddenly much more serious. "I need you, in every sense of the word, in any way you can give it. Because I don't know how to be a vampire, but now I'm willing to learn. But I'm not in control at the moment, there's-- too much, and I don't know where to start, but without help I feel like I'm going to turn into this ruthless beast, worse than any of you. No offence." He blinked, and looked almost sheepish for a moment, before he looked down at his hands in Erwin's grip. "I suppose, if you wanted to fuck me, or have me suck you off or whatever, that would be nice to. Take my mind off all those other things for a while?"

 

Oh, he hadn't been able to hide it at all; that much was clear. Suddenly levi spoke more than he had heard at once before, and this time - there were suddenly no threats between them, no fighting or hurting. Only a deep, mutual need, a drive impossible to ignore. It had been there, in the background, for so long - but Erwin had not let himself succumb to it, of course. Levi had not been in a position to consent - likely he was not even now. But it was far different from before; their entire relatonship was different, and it was Levi who said it.

Who said it so casually, and Erwin for all his experience felt a thrill run through him at those words. Fuck. Fuck, he couldn't take that voice, how he near absentmindedly offered things Erwin had not even dared stray to in the privacy of his rooms. As old a vampire as he was, Erwin was guilty of a multitude of crimes; but never had he been driven by anything else then the need to survive. People had died to feed him, but animals died to feed humans, too. Never would he take what wasn't offered in this kind of situation; that was a pointless and horrid cruelty, serving no purpose.

But Levi was not unwilling. No, evidently he was as thirsty for it as Erwin. "You'll learn", he hastened to assure. "You are young yet, there is so much time--" At any other time he might have phrased it better, but he couldn't think much more than so, not with that blatant offer. "I did not intend this", he added, as if to ressure them both - it likely didn't matter at this point. His mind was a mess, suddenly; twisted by want and need and Levi's presence. He had to do something-- so he turned, pushing Levi onto his back at the bed and quickly gripping his wrists again, pressing them down into the bed above him. "But I cannot deny that I want it."

 

Too straightforward? Levi couldn't care less - when he could now finally speak his mind in front of Erwin, he was damn well going to. And he didn't seem to take it badly, rather the contrary. Levi could tell him later that no matter how much time he had to learn, he wanted that control as soon as possible, because that was who he was. He wanted to be able to be around humans without losing his senses because of the burning thirst, he wanted to be able to leave the mansion and hunt with the others. He wanted to know what it meant to be a vampire, what he could and couldn't do, how he did it, all those rules both written and unwritten. It was as essential to him as keeping things clean.

But just for now, it could wait. For now, he could gladly give up that control for a while.

Erwin wasn't too quick for him - being a vampire made that a hard thing for anyone to be - Levi was simply very willing to let the other manhandle him and pin him down on the bed. Only once the other had a tight grip around his wrists again did he struggle against it, and not because he wanted to get away. And suddenly he wasn't feeling so calm anymore; his breathing was picking up, and he was once again so glad for the absence of trousers. "Then take it." he mumbled, voice as husky as he could make it, guessing Erwin would like what came next. "Please."

 

Erwin had felt Levi struggle; this wasn't it. He had been right, then; not that he had doubted the signs. And when Levi had gone to Mike for comfort, when he had leaned back into Erwin's touch as he was petted - it had given him some idea. Levi didn't struggle, he squirmed fruitlessly, and Erwin was thrilled with the rush of power, grinning down at Levi, only to have to close his eyes for a moment at that last word-- well, Levi was not clueless either, then. He opened his eyes slowly, gaze dark and focused only on Levi. "Say that again", he demanded. "You beg so prettily. Let me hear it."

 

Erwin was the type, certainly. He liked having power, in all different kinds of ways - that he sometimes went to Mike to perhaps let some of it go once in a while meant little. Levi had a good sense for these things, and now he felt like he had known for quite a while already, even if he had not thought of himself and Erwin in this kind of setting until now. And while Erwin had certainly heard him beg more than enough for Levi to never want to do it again, this was entirely different, and he didn't mind begging for  _this_.

He still looked a bit disapproving, however, if only to show some attitude. But then, he still obeyed, looking Erwin straight in the eyes as he did. " _Please_ , give me your cock."

 

Oh, he knew why Levi glared at him a little, and he knew he deserved that. But this was different - different and all the same in the way that Levi certainly wouldn't have it if he didn't behave. "Good", he breathed, and meant it. "Keep your hands there." With a final squeeze he let go, sliding the hand slowly down Levi's arm, reaching the tie of the robe and loosening it, pushing it open and the shirt beneath it up. His metal hand was cold to the touch even for a vampire, as it was still winter. His flesh hand had a faint warmth from his rather recent feeding; he couldn't help but think it would be some sensation.  Levi was utterly, deliciously nude under the robe and shirt; his cock hard and leaking, rosy at the tip, curved up against his pale stomach. Erwin took hold of it with his metal hand; not too gently, but not hard enough to hurt. He stroked once, slow and steady - his hand was well enough built that there wasn't a single edge that could hurt. It was cold, yes, and likely a threatening sensation, but Erwin knew what he was doing. His flesh hand stroked over Levi's inner thigh, then pressed down, laying him bare and vulnerable.

 

Levi kept his eyes on Erwin, but lost some of the glare - quite easily falling into another mindset entirely. His fingers tangled in the blanket as soon as he was released, chest heaving with heavy breaths, unable to really help himself. He trembled beneath the cold metal of Erwin's hand, and then startled wildly as it grabbed for his cock, hands down at his shoulders before he caught himself and grabbed a hold of the blanket again, groaning quietly. It wasn't due to the slight pain that he reacted as he did - he rather liked that - but it was simply a sensation unlike any he had ever felt before. Cold, hard and unforgiving metal, yet still as nimble as a flesh hand, and though he remained a bit tense, he parted his legs willingly at the other's touch, no doubt enjoying it very much.

 

Erwin's attention was immediately caught by that motion, and he huffed in reply. "I'll let that first time slide", he said, giving him another slow stroke, letting Levi grow used to the feeling before his thumb slid over the sensitive head. Quite possibly it was a bit painful, but nothing compared to what Levi could take. "I have no intention of hurting you", he said quite earnestly. "Trust me at least in that."

At the same time he was quite aware that could be difficult - with their own very recent history, none the less. He gently gripped Levi's throat with his flesh hand again, tipping his head back and reveling in the acceptance of his dominance. It went to his head so quickly, the rush, and he let it take him, rode along on it. Images came to him; of how he would dress Levi in his colours to let the others know to whom he belonged, to keep him reigned in close, Levi wild yet tamed by his touch. To have Levi sit beside him, lounging like a prized courtesan draped in silk and jewelry  and drinking from his wrist - properly humble and grateful for the privilege , of course. And how he would surrender to Erwin's words even without him using his power to back them up; it drove him near wild with need. 

But drawing this out for a bit would be much more fun. He let go of Levi's cock and trailed hard metal fingers so very gently over his vulnerable balls, down to press against the little opening there; briefly, only to see the reaction. He chuckled gently, deep and rich. "How long since you were fucked last time?"

 

Levi was both relieved and a little disappointed to hear that; he wanted to obey and he would try his best to, but the thought of "punishment" should he fail to do so was exciting as well. But Erwin didn't give him much chance to think of the possibilities, easily shattering any and all thoughts with his actions. With a low, trembling groan, Levi arched a little off the bed, though his fingers stayed tangled in the blanket. "I know." he managed, voice strained. And he did know, knew that he trusted Erwin, and would have done everything he could to stop this if he hadn't.

He fell back to the bed as Erwin pushed him down by his throat, eyes closing for a moment while his lips parted to allow him to breathe easier. Even if he had finally accepted his new vampire nature, it would probably take him a while before he lost that human urge, the need to feel air in his lungs. But the knowledge that he didn't need it certainly made for a lot of exciting possibilities.

Shivering slightly at both the cold and the sensation of those metal fingers, he gasped quietly at the tiny pressure. But at Erwin's question, he had to think, his days as a human so very blurred now. But it hadn't been too many days - and he wondered if Erwin would be disappointed or not for it. "Not too long." he mumbled, looking up at the other vampire again. "A few days before I came here. I had a-- friend, another thief."

 

"Good", he smiled. "It'll be a little easier, then." Erwin's cock was not on the small side, after all, and an experienced partner would find it easier to take, vampire or not. He removed his metal hand and sat up, shifting closer to Levi and stroking his hand up his body as he moved. "So worked up and impatient.", he said with a little growl to his voice. "Not broken in yet; oh, Levi. I thought not to do this but it does seem you will need it. It will help, make things easier for both of us, so you don't have to worry about misbehaving." He looked into Levi's eyes, mirthful and teasing. "You may not", he said with that odd depth to his voice, "come, unless I specifically allow you. Isn't that kind of me, Levi? To help you behave?" He didn't bother to let him reply; or rather, he cut off his words by pressing to fingers between his lips. "Those lips are to sweet for foul words."

Moments after he removed them, a fond smile on his lips. "Get that robe off, fetch me the oil in the nightstand drawer. Then, lie down on your front, legs together, arms above your head. And this time - _keep them there."_

 

Erwin's voice should really not be allowed. How he did that, made it even deeper, reminiscent of both a purr and a growl at the same time, it was not fair at all. But Levi just kept his eyes at him, a little wary at the look on his face and his words, and then blinked in quiet disbelief at his order. He could feel the weight behind those words, but he had no way of knowing yet if they had worked. But could Erwin really do that? Did he have that much control? The thought was as terrifying as it was thrilling, and instead of speaking, he snarled quietly against Erwin's fingers, showing fangs. But it was entirely playful, and after studying the man for a few more seconds, he rolled off the bed to do as he was told.

The robe slipped off his shoulders with the movement, and he caught it before it fell to the floor and threw it across the foot of the bed rather than leaving it on the floor. With quick fingers, he made short work of the buttons on the shirt and got rid of that as well. Nude and entirely shameless, he reached for the drawer and found he bottle, handing it over to Erwin with a hint of a smile - well prepared, was he? Then he laid down on his front as he has been instructed, fingers curling gently in the blanket above his head.

 

He could pretend Levi saved his robe from the floor out of respect, but he wouldn't waste time on it. He was obedient enough now, and his eagerness and arousal hadn't decreased as far as Erwin could tell. Good; he was rather in the mood for playing. Levi lay down, as per his order, and Erwin stroked gently over his thigh, soothing. "Arch your ass up a little", he murmured, pleased not to have to pick his words as in more noble company. Erwin straddled Levi's thighs, holding him securely in place. He took the lid of the little jar and placed it in the middle of Levi's back, pouring a generous amount onto his fingers and then placing the jar too just beneath it. "Keep still", he murmured mirthfully. "Oil is so difficult to wash away; it would be terrible if I had to punish you for such an unnecessary infraction."

In truth, it wouldn't be terrible at all, not for either of them. He had seen the disappointment in Levi's eyes as he let him off; this near impossible task might be an excuse. As small as the jar was, even the most skilled man would soon become impatient. Erwin slowly pushed the first slick finger inside Levi, and then slowly pulled out, then in again. "Just keep still. Good."

 

Levi did as he was told, and his grip on the blanket tightened as he felt Erwin's weight on him. Strong as he was now, he wasn't sure he could get anywhere without any leverage, but then he loved that thought. Perhaps - if Erwin could indeed control everything with just his words - that meant he would also be able to limit Levi's strength, making him unable to tear through ropes or cuffs or other such things by accident, which would be so very convenient.

There was a faint scowl at Erwin's words, but a small grin as well, all which went unnoticed because the other could not see his face at the moment. But it was so obvious that it was not expected of him to be able to keep still, that Erwin probably wouldn't even give him a chance to succeed. And Levi always had difficulties with holding himself back in these situations. He groaned, and shivered, wanting more and harder and gripping tightly at the blanket, and soon enough, the bottle did indeed topple over.

 

Experienced or no, Levi would need quite a bit of prep, and Erwin was ever so happy to provide. The position made it a little harder, but assured that Levi felt every sensation very vividly, and was unable to squirm away or hump the sheets to distract himself. Erwin did not intend to lessen his pleasure, even if it might seem so - no, this way he rather made sure he felt every little motion. And he managed quite well; for several minutes he held still, the little bottle wobbling precariously but remaining in place. It was not until Erwin sunk the third finger down to the last knuckle inside him that Levi arched enough for it to fall. Faintly scented, translucent oil spilled over Levi's back and the sheets, and Erwin stilled, giving Levi just a moment to understand before he leaned forward, rough but fully in control of himself, and gripped Levi's neck. He bared his throat by his own hand and bit down; not into a vein like before, but the flesh where shoulder met neck. He growled, low and almost daring Levi to resist.

 


End file.
